The Impact of Diurnal Preferences on Customer Satisfaction, Word of Mouth and Repurchasing: A Study in Indian College Online Shoppers

Abstract

The importance of positive word of mouth (WOM) and repurchasing in competitive online retail environments demands their further study. Although customer satisfaction has been found to drive positive WOM and repurchasing, limited research has explored what type of customers feel more satisfied with online shopping. It was anticipated that the convenient nature of online shopping would better match the conscientious personality traits of customers with earlier sleep and wake times. Data collected from 334 Indian college students participating in this study using a snowball sampling method were analysed by multiple regression. As hypothesised, based on self-congruency theory, customers with earlier sleep and wake times were found to feel more satisfied with online shopping, which in turn enhanced their positive WOM and increased repurchase intention. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.