Linking Online Procrastination to Online Shopping Cart Abandonment : A Multi-Group Analysis from India and Ethiopia

Purpose: The effect of shopping procrastination, defined as a deliberate and chronic delay in action, on shopping cart abandonment behavior remains unexplored. The primary objective of this study was to examine the relationship between online procrastination (OP) and shopping cart abandonment (OSCA).

Methodology: An online structured questionnaire was floated, and responses (n = 327) were collected from online shoppers of two countries (India and Ethiopia). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) using IBM SPSS 25.0 and structural equation modeling (SEM) using IBM AMOS 23.0 were carried out.

Findings: We observed mean level differences for OP and OSCA across annual income groups, number of sites used for online shopping, and frequency. The structural equation modeling results revealed a significant positive relationship (b = 0.57, Adjusted R-Square=0.33) between OP and OSCA. Also, the multi-group analysis revealed that monthly spending levels for online shopping moderated the relationship between OP and OSCA.

Practical Implications: By identifying the specific procrastination tendencies and their impact on cart abandonment, we contributed to understanding consumer behavior in online shopping contexts and provided actionable recommendations for reducing cart abandonment rates.

Originality: Although the previous studies covered a broader range of factors, a specific examination of the direct link between procrastination tendencies and cart abandonment was lacking in the existing literature. Therefore, the current study addressed this research gap by investigating the unique contribution of online shopping procrastination to cart abandonment, providing a more comprehensive understanding of this phenomenon.