Author(s): Sau K Leung
Online shopping is becoming increasingly popular around the globe. However, previous research has paid only limited attention to online marketing strategies according to different times of the day. The present study seeks to fill this gap by investigating the effects of diurnal preferences on online shopping satisfaction, attitudes and intention based on self-congruency theory. It was found that consumers with earlier sleep and wake times demonstrated greater sensitivity to financial and privacy risks while also expressing greater satisfaction with, possessing more positive attitudes toward, and exhibiting higher intention to use online shopping. These findings suggest that consumers shopping in the morning, afternoon, or evening have different needs that require different marketing and sales strategies to be met. Theoretical and managerial implications are therefore suggested.