Why Do Consumers Abandon the E-Carts?

This research explores consumer behavior in e-shopping apps, specifically focusing on how the consumers use e-carts and why they abandon them. A model based on the Regulatory Focus Theory was developed to explain the predicted relationships. The study used a self-administered survey to gather 274 qualifying questionnaires from Pakistani online buyers. The partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique was used to analyze the data. Empirical findings elaborate that the consumers’ self-suppression motivation to engage in e-shopping encourages e-cart use and decreases e-cart abandonment. Conversely, consumers’ self-expansion motivation increases e-cart abandonment. Also, visiting clearance pages increases cart abandonment. Moreover, when acting as a mediator it increases e-cart abandonment for both the self-suppression and self-expansion motivations. Furthermore, the moderating effects of product involvement were found to influence e-cart use rather than e-cart abandonment. Theoretical contributions and managerial implications for digital marketers are provided.