Predicting repeat usage intention towards O2O food delivery: extending UTAUT2 with user gratifications and bandwagoning

This study examines the antecedents to repeat usage intentions (RUI) of online-to-offline (O2O) food delivery (OFD) services using an integrated framework of Uses and Gratification Theory (UGT) and Unified Theory of Adoption and Usage of Technology 2 (UTAUT 2). Considering the increasing influence of online review(s) (ORVs) and online rating(s) (ORTs) in e-commerce, their moderation effect on the satisfied consumers’ RUI has also been examined. Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) has been applied to assess the hypotheses and structural model. The analysis of the data collected through an online survey of 532 respondents from two tier-II cities revealed that delivery experience (DE) and time-saving orientation (TSO) are the gratifications critical to OFD usage intentions (UI). While performance expectancy (PE), effort expectancy (EE), facilitating conditions (FC), and hedonic motivations (HM) affected e-satisfaction (e-SAT), the e-SAT and UI significantly affected RUI. The negative moderation impact of bandwagoning on satisfied consumers’ RUI reflects discrepancies in posted ORTs/ORVs and personal experience. Relevant managerial inferences will help OFD service providers adjust strategies to make OFD services more sustainable and consumer-centric. This study makes several theoretical contributions as well.