Switch or Stay? Applying a Push–Pull–Mooring Framework to Evaluate Behavior in E-Grocery Shopping

Abstract

This study investigates the antecedents of the intention to switch to e-grocery shopping during the COVID-19 pandemic, which is critical in recommending that e-grocery shopping service providers improve their competitiveness by responding to customer expectations. This study proposes a push–pull–mooring framework to describe the influence of dissatisfaction on the physical market, the attractiveness of e-grocery, and switching costs as factors that drive switching intentions. This study surveyed 252 Indonesians aware of the existence of an e-grocery mobile application, and applied structural equation modeling as an analytical method to explain causal relationships between variables thought to influence switching intentions to e-grocery shopping. The results showed that the attractiveness of e-grocery had a significant effect on switching intention. Likewise, switching costs ultimately drive customer intention to switch to e-grocery shopping. However, dissatisfaction is not a driving factor directly affecting switching costs and intentions. Finally, e-grocery services cannot replace the local tradition of Indonesian people who prefer to shop for groceries in physical markets. Nevertheless, these findings provide theoretical and practical contributions to retail grocery businesses that have integrated conventional and digital services as a future strategy that drives business sustainability.