Contactless Shopping During Health Crisis: Moderating Impact of Four Attribution-Driven Motives on Brand Equity

Abstract

Prior research has indicated that the fear of a health crisis (such as COVID-19) can influence people’s shopping behavior. This study adds to previous knowledge by exploring the effect of COVID-19 fear on increasing brand equity via the adoption of contactless shopping. A total of 374 participants were surveyed to examine the moderating effect of four types of perceived consumer-attributed motives (values-driven, egoistic-driven, strategic-driven, and stakeholder-driven motives) on brand equity. The study provides various models to explain how fear can impact the overall consumer perception of the brand. Using fear appeal and attribution theory, this study argues that consumers prefer brands, which offer shopping experiences that can help them eliminate their fear during health crises. Contrary to the literature, our results indicate that strategic-, egoistic-, and stakeholder-driven motives positively moderate the relationship between COVID-19 fear and brand equity through contactless shopping. The results provide insights for companies that have adopted IT-enabled shopping methods to engage with consumers.