Does the online commerce medium matter? The moderating role of habit and social presence

Recent studies raise the possibility that different commerce media invite different product purchase decisions. We follow an interdisciplinary approach by applying the Uses and Gratifications (U&G) theory in the marketing context in order to understand the specific reasons why consumers turn to desktop and mobile devices for conducting purchases. The results from two laboratory experiments involving an actual purchase demonstrate that consumers find different value in the distinctive characteristics of the media in question. Although there is a positive relationship between the intention to buy and product purchase in online environments, the habitual use of the medium moderates this relationship. Purchase intention x habitual use of the medium interactions are related to purchase behavior when habit is strong. Similarly, the presence of other people while the purchase is being made via desktop and mobile devices has a normative influence on purchase behavior.