Mobile shopping loyalty: The salient moderating role of normative and functional compatibility beliefs

Abstract

Since increasing shopper loyalty is an imperative aim for all vendors for defending or even strengthening their market position, this study explores the impact of different compatibility beliefs on m-shoppers’ loyalty by distinguishing between normative and functional aspects. For this purpose, in a first step of analysis, an integrated framework to clarify the effects of different shopping values, satisfaction, and trust on the continued use intention is designed. Then, in a second step, the moderating role of normative and functional compatibility beliefs is analysed in greater depth.The empirical results indicate two significant (normative and functional) compatibility belief impacts. First, only utilitarian and hedonic shopping value impacts consumers' satisfaction with a high level of compatibility belief, while social value and vendor trust are important for those with a low level of compatibility belief. Second, and more so than that of consumers who have a high level of compatibility expression, the m-shopping loyalty of consumers with a low level of compatibility belief is critically influenced by the shoppers' perception of vendor trust. No statistical differences are found in the relation between social values and m-vendor trust with neither a low nor high level of compatibility belief.Respecting m-shopping's novelty, this study sheds light for the first time on different m-shopping compatibility aspects by applying a moderating analysis. The results verify the salient power of different levels of compatibility belief over m-shopper loyalty. Hence, the study contributes to the body of research on a multidimensional understanding of compatibility issues for enhancing m-shopping loyalty and thus has useful managerial implications too.