The Effects of General and Mobile Online Shopping Skilfulness and Multichannel Self-Efficacy on Consumer Showrooming Behaviour

Abstract

Although showrooming behaviour is a characteristic aspect of modern omnichannel retailing, our understanding of its antecedents remains limited. In this study, we aim to address this gap in prior research by examining how showrooming behaviour is affected by three different kinds of perceived consumer capabilities: general online shopping skilfulness, mobile online shopping skilfulness, and multichannel self-efficacy. The examination is done by utilising data from 1,024 Finnish consumers, which was collected with an online survey in 2021 and is analysed with structural equation modelling (SEM). In summary, we find mobile online shopping skilfulness to have a strong positive effect on showrooming behaviour, the total effect of general online shopping skilfulness to be statistically not significant, and the effect of multichannel self-efficacy to be negative. In addition, we find several interesting gender and age differences. We conclude the paper with a detailed discussion of the findings from both theoretical and practical perspectives.