Why do shoppers abandon shopping cart? Perceived waiting time, risk, and transaction inconvenience

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore the factors leading to the consumer's propensity to abandon the shopping cart at the transaction completion stage.Design/methodology/approachData were collected using a self‐administered survey distributed through the internet. The sample consisted of consumers who shopped online at least once during the preceding one‐year period.FindingsThe results indicate that perceived transaction inconvenience is the major predictor of shopping cart abandonment. The other predictors are perceived risk and perceived waiting time. Positive relationship was found between perceived transaction inconvenience, perceived risk and propensity to abandon the shopping cart. It was also found that propensity to abandon the shopping cart is negatively associated with the perception of waiting time.Practical implicationsThe paper provides transaction completion stage specific guidance to the managers operating in an online environment to prevent shopping cart abandonment at the transaction completion stage. Specifically, the findings suggest that marketers must pay attention to the perception of risk and transaction inconvenience; otherwise they risk losing consumers during the final stage of transaction.Originality/valueThe paper examines the unexplored area of consumer behavior at the final stages of transaction culmination and, hence, is an initial step toward filling that gap.