Factors Influencing Online Food-Related Grocery Purchase: Future Online Purchase Adoption

The primary objective of this study was to explore how situational factors and perceived severity impact online purchase decisions, emphasizing the potential moderating role of perceived risk in influencing the relationship between situational factors and these decisions. Additionally, perceived risk was a moderator to assess the association between perceived severity and online purchase decisions. Furthermore, the study investigated whether online purchase decisions could lead to a sustained intention for online adoption post-pandemic. To accomplish these goals, an online survey questionnaire was employed, and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted to validate the data. The Structural Equation Model (SEM) using SmartPLS was then utilized to test the hypotheses. The study found that both situational factors and perceived severity during the COVID-19 pandemic significantly and directly impacted the decision to make online purchases. The moderation analysis results indicated that the influence of situational factors on online purchase decisions is lessened when perceived risk is higher and strengthened when perceived risk is lower. These findings contribute to the expanding literature, particularly in developing countries, by providing evidence for formulating evidence-based policies during the post-pandemic recovery stage. They emphasize the critical need for the country in question to strengthen its information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure and implement robust security measures to ensure safe and secure online transactions.