Purpose – Online grocery shopping is gaining momentum in European retailing. The purpose
of this study was to investigate four theoretical consumer-oriented constructs and their
influence on consumer purchase intention in this context. Additionally, this paper examined
differences between two generational cohorts, Millennials and Baby Boomers.
Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative study was conducted among 354 Austrian
consumers. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 23.0.
Findings – The main results found that perceived risk has a negative relationship with
purchase intention and remains particularly relevant in online grocery shopping. Prior online
shopping experience, perceived online shopping convenience and grocery variety seeking
were also found to influence consumer intention. With respect to generational cohorts, Baby
Boomers perceived entailed risks to be higher and convenience to be lower in comparison to
Millennials. The younger generation displayed higher variety seeking as well as more distinct
online shopping experience and enjoyment.
Practical implications – For players in the online grocery market, this study’s implications
present measures to address perceived risks and effectively communicate benefits to
consumers.
Originality/value – Theoretically, this study provides insights into specific consumer
perceptions and experiences and their effect on future shopping intention. Also, the findings
add to the scarce knowledge on generational cohort segmentation in the online shopping
literature
