COVID-19 ads on purchase intention of online consumer behavior as business innovation activity: A contribution to the uses and gratification theory

Abstract

• COVID-19 ads, has elicited new purchase intention of online consumer behavior ( PIC ). • PIC here is based on emergency context, motivations, attitudes, and web attraction. • PIC as a business innovation activity contributes to the Uses and Gratification Theory. COVID-19 ads are gaining people's consciousness rapidly. Many companies are concerned with determining the new purchase intention of online consumer behavior (PIC) for the next normal conditions. This article aims to design a framework based on PIC as a business innovation activity to generate marketing strategies related to Uses and Gratification Theory ( UGT ). Based on Delphi Panel-focus group and Analytic Hierarchy Process ( AHP ), we identified factors, variables, and indicators to the PIC conceptual framework proposal. The survey data was on 400 Mexican online consumers (Mar to Sep, 2020), using Confirmatory Factor Analysis ( CFA ) and Covariance-Based Structural Equation Modeling ( CB-SEM EQS6.2 ) to confirm 4 underlying factors, 8 variables, 27 indicators, and the framework s validity. The fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis ( fsQCA3.0 ) extracted 3 patterns solutions as business innovation activity with high PIC for marketing strategies related to UGT as the original study's value.