Mediated and moderated drivers of behavioural intention and behavioural willingness : an investigation among online gambling and household energy customers

Abstract

How is it possible that rational, educated, and tempered beings, who can put a man on the moon and split the atom, can still buy something we later regret? The present research explores factors in an inherent dual-process model that considers the reactive (Type 1) and contemplative (Type 2) nature of consumer behaviour. The research therefore asks: What model of psychological factors can help explain purchase decision-making behaviour in an online gambling and household energy context? More specifically, it focuses on: • What role do reflective and reactive purchase decision-making play as drivers of behavioural intention and willingness? • What is the role of customer loyalty? What are its drivers and how does it impact behavioural outcomes? • What role does perceived risk play in behavioural intention and willingness? A review of the literature on dual-process models together with that of identified drivers that include customer satisfaction, corporate reputation, customer loyalty and perceived risk, allowed for the generation of a research model and set of direct, moderated and mediated hypotheses as follows: H1a: The stronger the prototype perceptions, the stronger the behavioural intention. H1b: The stronger the prototype perceptions, the stronger the behavioural willingness. H2a: The stronger the customer loyalty, the stronger the behavioural intention to purchase. H2b: The stronger the customer loyalty, the stronger the behavioural willingness to purchase. H3: The stronger the corporate reputation, the stronger the customer loyalty. H4a: The stronger the overall customer satisfaction, the stronger the customer loyalty. H4b: The stronger the overall customer satisfaction, the stronger the corporate reputation. H4c: The stronger the encounter satisfaction, the stronger the customer loyalty. H4d: The stronger the encounter satisfaction, the stronger the overall satisfaction. H5a: The positive effect of customer loyalty on behavioural intention is negatively moderated by perceived risk. H5b: The positive effect of customer loyalty on behavioural willingness is negatively moderated by perceived risk. To test the research model data was collected from two sample surveys of online gambling and household energy customers in the UK. Analyses are undertaken using SmartPLS in both sectors with the findings supporting all the hypotheses except H1a in the household energy sector and H5b in both sectors. The research suggests that consideration of the more reactive behavioural willingness and the more reflective behavioural intention processes together with customer satisfaction, corporate reputation and customer loyalty, can provide strategic benefits to marketing and operational decision-making. A few demographic factors that include age and education, have been found to significantly impact behavioural willingness and behavioural intention, particularly in the online gambling context. Both contexts provided support of perceived risk weakening behavioural intention.