You can't touch this: Driving purchase justification for hedonic online purchases

E-commerce has been steadily growing year after year, as have the numbers of canceled and returned online orders. Retailers must understand what makes customers second-guess their purchase decision during the gamma phase, and how and why customers justify their online retail purchase decisions. Purchase justification enables retailers to both enhance positive customer sentiments towards their purchase and maximize profitability in the online context. Utilizing customer survey field data, we illustrate how the combination of evaluative tangibility and anticipatory imagination helps customers justify online hedonic purchases, resulting in both satisfaction and delight. Results indicate that delight but not satisfaction drive share of wallet. We also explore the impact of customers' previous shopping experiences. Implications for retailer managers and researchers are discussed.

Automated summary

E-commerce is growing steadily, resulting in an increase in canceled and returned online orders. Understanding why customers hesitate in their purchase decisions and how they rationalize their online purchases is crucial for retailers. Purchase justification allows retailers to improve customer satisfaction and maximize profit in the online context.