Applying the SOBC Paradigm to Reinterpret the Online Grocery Shopping Experience for the Senior Population

Abstract

Online grocery sales have witnessed a significant surge during the pandemic, and older consumers are among the online shoppers with the quickest growth. Importantly, this study is possibly among the first to explore how the stimulus-organization-behavior-consequence framework can be used to assess the impact of product experience, website experience, and delivery experience on their online grocery shopping experience, which further strengthens seniors’ satisfaction and impacts their ”webstore loyalty”. It is tested through an analysis of cross-sectional data collected from 282 elderly online grocery shoppers from India. Findings reveal that webstore design, physical environment, personalised communication, and customer service responsiveness are more significant in creating a positive affective experience, while competitive pricing and product information details are more significant in forming a cognitive experience. As a result of the pandemic, consumers prefer stores that provide them with food product knowledge, diversity, and a secure shopping environment. Our research can aid online retailers in identifying essential aspects of online grocery services in order to better serve older customers. The findings have interesting implications for online grocery retailers who wish to expand into emerging markets, particularly for the senior cohort, and can create differentiating service experiences to address emerging shopper experiences.

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