Four alternative models of online purchase behavior in the Asia-Pacific Region:A lesson of gender difference from South Korea

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to model the development of e-purchasing behavior by examining the simultaneous effects of information, web interactivity, satisfaction and positive attitude (PA) on purchase intentions (PIs). Design/methodology/approach – Development and testing of four competing models from surveys of 402 consumers. Findings – The results highlight the appropriateness of the multiple mediation model (MMM). The findings also indicate that both the dual mediating role of PA and the simple mediating role of positive emotional bond (PEB) in the model significantly improve the explanation of e-purchasing model process. Particularly, path coefficients for two groups (male vs female) are significantly different. Female consumers have a tendency to accept valuable information and to participate in interactivity. Originality/value – In this study, Armstrong et al.'s notion is adopted to show that the role of the scientist is changed from advocating a single hypothesis to evaluating a number of competing models. The current research attempts to empirically test competing mechanisms of the variables and their affects on PI.