How does consumer irrationality affect showrooming behavior?

Showrooming behavior, when the consumer combines different retail channels for product examination at the physical store and then purchases online, has both positive and negative implications for retailers. The phenomenon is still raising but has not received much researchers’ attention yet. Although consumer irrationality in the showrooming context has not been analyzed, retailing data experts and individual researchers raise the issue of consumer irrationality in showrooming behavior. Consequently, the aim of the research is to reveal the effect of consumer irrationality on showrooming behavior. In this regard the suitability and expansion of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) is argued. Utilizing quantitative online survey data from 201 respondents, the CBSEM was used to test a research model. The study findings give new evidence on consumer irrationality construct consisting of three dimensions: confusion, self-indulgency, and automatic impulsiveness. The results contribute to the research into consumer irrationality phenomenon in terms of dimensionality; they also reveal the suitability of TPB application for examining the effect of consumer irrationality on showrooming behavior. As far as the authors are aware, this study is the first to consider the effect of consumer irrationality on showrooming behavior within the TPB framework.