Investigation and Analysis of Website Environmental Cues on Consumer's Purchase Intention: The Mediating Role of Internal States

Nowadays, because of the growth and development of the Internet, the number of online stores is increasing. To survive in this competition and in order to satisfy consumers, retailers have to focus on providing consumers with positive shopping experiences. For this reason, online retailers have tried to improve the online stores environment because it is found that environmental cues influence consumer internal states and their responses. The objective of this research is to examine the effects of environmental cues on consumers’ internal states (affective and cognitive states) as well as the impact of these internal states on their purchase intention. In terms of objective, this research is an applied research, and in terms of data collection, it is a descriptive-survey research. Statistical population of the present research consists of online shoppers from four different Iranian online stores including Digikala, Bamilo, Zanbil, and Chare. From such a population, 384 online shoppers have been selected using convenience sampling. Moreover, in order to test the hypotheses, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and Smart PLS software were used. The results showed that website design has an impact on consumers’ affective states and effectiveness of information content influences their cognitive states. These affective and cognitive states, in turn, affect consumer purchase intention. In addition, affective states mediate the relationship between website design and purchase intention. Finally, cognitive states play a mediating role between effectiveness of information content and purchase intention.