Online product returns: The role of perceived environmental efficacy and post-purchase entrepreneurial cognitive dissonance

• Published in: Journal of business research 2024-03, Vol.174, p.114462, Article 114462
• Main Authors: Fernandez-Lores, S., Crespo-Tejero, N., Fernández-Hernández, R., García-Muiña, F.E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Environmental efficacy; eWOM; Impulsive buying behavior; Information overload; Online product returns; Post-purchase cognitive dissonance
• ISSN: 0148-2963
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2023.114462

•Product returns have become a very popular consumer behavior after online shopping.•Online shopping returns pose a serious negative impact on the environment.•The role of impulsive buying behavior, information overload and eWOM are studied.•Online return intention is mediated by post‑purchase cognitive dissonance.•Perceived environmental efficacy moderates the impact of post‑purchase dissonance. Social concern regarding environmental impact is gradually increasing. E-commerce development has led to a large increase in online purchases and, consequently, the number of online returns has also gone up, causing a significant impact on the environment. This study identifies the factors that drive consumers’ intention to return products purchased on the Internet. The existing literature shows post-purchase cognitive dissonance as one of the main factors that explain the intention to return products. We studied the variables that describe online purchases and explained the level of dissonance. Dissonance is shown to be a mediating variable between the online purchase context and the intention to return products. Further, the moderating effect of perceived environmental efficacy is also analyzed. The results demonstrate that there is a mediating effect of post-purchase cognitive dissonance. Additionally, perceived environmental efficacy partly inhibits the intention to return products when there is some level of post-purchase cognitive dissonance.