Impact of Persuasion Processes on Consumer Attitude Towards Online Shopping: The Moderating Role of Product Involvement and Consumer Self-Efficacy

Online vendors expand significant efforts in attracting consumers to their websites. However, once a consumer lands on a vendor’s website, a more challenging task is to convince her/him to actually transact with the website by purchasing products. This research-in-progress study draws on the elaboration-likelihood model (ELM) to develop a theoretical model for the impacts of different persuasion processes (peripheral and central routes) on consumer attitude towards purchasing products online. We also propose motivational and ability factors that are likely to moderate the effects of these different persuasion processes on attitude. A survey-based methodology is outlined to empirically validate the proposed research model using structural equation modelling techniques. Potential contributions from this research to both theory and practice are also outlined.