The Effect of Informative and Normative Role of Reference Groups on Consumers' Purchasing Intention through Online Grocery Applications

Abstract

Purpose - Consumers are increasingly interested in e-commerce and online grocery applications. There has been a tremendous surge in the number of online grocery applications, particularly during the Covid-19 outbreak. The surroundings of customers and online consumer feedback are believed to have a significant impact on how widely these applications are used. This study intends to explore how customers' purchase intentions via online grocery applications are influenced by reference groups' informative and normative roles. Design/methodology/approach – This study was carried out using quantitative research techniques. Snowball sampling, one of the non-random sampling techniques, was used to choose the samples. A face-to-face and online questionnaire was used to collect the data. 418 consumers who fit the research's target audience were contacted, but after sending out 23 surveys, the study only had 395 participants left. The statistical package packages IBM AMOS 23 and IBM SPSS 25 were used to analyze the data that had been gathered. Explanatory factor analysis, Confirmatory factor analysis, and Regression analysis were used to analyze the data. Findings - As a consequence of the study, it was discovered that the control factors of gender, education level, and income had no effect on customers' intentions to make online purchases. The informative and normative roles of reference groups have been found to influence customers' intentions to make online purchases favorably. Discussion - While various variables influence customers to shop online, the use of online grocery apps has surged, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic. Consumers who are interested in learning new applications and are concerned about these applications are influenced by their immediate surroundings, such as family and friends, i.e. reference groups. When the relevant literature is reviewed, it is predicted that this study will complete the gap in the literature and shed light on future research, as no previous research on this issue has been conducted.