The Role of Digital Touchpoints in Car Purchasing - An Empirical Research Concerning the Indian Market

Prabaharan M (), M Selvalakshmi and R Christina Jeya Nithilia
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Prabaharan M: Madurai Kamaraj University
M Selvalakshmi: TSM - Thiagarajar School of Management
R Christina Jeya Nithilia: St. Xavier's College, Palayamkottai

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Abstract: Objectives: The present research aims to study how digital touchpoints impact the exploration of purchase opportunities for customers in car purchases. Another purpose is to explore how customers use digital touchpoints to gather information and how it influences their purchase decisions. It also aims to explore the potential mediation effect of "exciting pursuit" on the relationship between using digital touchpoints and exploring purchase opportunities. Methods: The study employed a descriptive approach. A structured online questionnaire was framed that encompassed digital touchpoint usage, information search experience, and purchase opportunities. Stratified and purposive sampling techniques were used to collect data from 605 car owners and prospective buyers across five high-selling states in India. Data analysis via SPSS & SMART-PLS confirmed construct validity, revealed the direct and indirect effects of the model. Findings: Websites and non-official websites emerged as preferred digital touchpoints for information search. Most customers were male (61.4%), aged between 30 and 35 (35.4%). Customers' age is associated with the official websites (p=0.001, χ =14.21) and YouTube (p=0.007, χ =18.698) usage. Enabling digital content search (EDCS; β=0.311, t =7.331), appropriateness of digital information (AOI; β=0.594, t =11.556) positively impact Exciting Pursuit (EP; β=0.629, t =27.610) and the customer's interest in exploring various purchase opportunities (EPO). EP (t=28.525) significantly influences EPO and act as a mediator between EDCS/AOI (t=11.834/t = 7.399) and EPO. Novelty: This research focuses on the role of digital touchpoints in the car purchase journey in India. It focuses on the customer's emotional response to the digital touchpoints, which are used to gather information for their purchase, and it is creating a mediating effect of exciting pursuit in the relationship between digital touchpoints and purchase opportunities. By leveraging the S-O-R model, this study contributes to the current discussion regarding the changing role of digital touchpoints in the automobile industry. Keywords: Digital Touchpoints, Digital Marketing, Stimuli­Organism­Response Model, Car Buyer Behaviour, Automobile Industry, Structural Equation Modelling

Keywords: Digital Touchpoints Digital Marketing StimuliOrganismResponse Model Car Buyer Behaviour Automobile Industry Structural Equation Modelling; Digital Touchpoints; Digital Marketing; StimuliOrganismResponse Model; Car Buyer Behaviour; Automobile Industry; Structural Equation Modelling (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024-07-31
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Published in Indian Journal of Science and Technology, 2024, 17 (29), pp.3044-3053. ⟨10.17485/IJST/v17i29.3212⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04668727

DOI: 10.17485/IJST/v17i29.3212

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