Appraisal factors of sustainable purchase intentions in online shopping platform context: PLS-SEM with theory extensions

Abstract

Consumers and online applications are rapidly adopting sustainable purchase practices. However, there is a significant gap in research regarding the multi-mediation factors of buying arousal and buying affectivity that boost sustainable purchase intentions (SPI). This study aims to fill this gap by determining how SPI is enhanced among Malaysian consumers and how in-app appraisal factors (product, coping, and price) impact SPI. Two studies on sustainable products for Lazada app users from Malaysia were conducted using a novel partial least squares-structural equation modeling technique to evaluate the direct and mediating effects of the constructs on SPI. The first study reveals that product, price, and coping-related appraisal factors strongly affect SPI. The second study further supports the finding that price appraisal significantly affects buying affectivity, arousal, and SPI. Surprisingly, we found a strong mediating effect between sustainable products and buying affectivity. This study provides crucial insights for sustainable retailers and apps, empowering them with the knowledge on how to boost customers' SPI for retail and consumer services. It also equips managers with the understanding of the factors affecting customers’ purchasing psychology, thereby enabling them to develop dynamic, sustainable consumer-related in-application appraisal strategies.