Online shopping cart abandonment: a consumer mindset perspective

Purpose While the popularity of online shopping has increased in recent years, surprisingly little research has examined the factors affecting consumers' behavior in this context. Furthermore, though a widespread problem for companies, the phenomenon of online shopping cart abandonment has garnered even less attention. The purpose of this study is to examine the role of consumers' mindsets in online shopping cart abandonment. Design/methodology/approach Three experimental studies were conducted to examine the effect of consumer mindsets (i.e. abstract vs concrete) on purchase intentions. Findings Results indicate that consumers who have an abstract (as opposed to concrete) mindset when shopping online rate the products they include in their shopping carts to be more important, and consequently are more likely to purchase them, reducing shopping cart abandonment. Practical implications - The findings suggest that online retailers can reduce shopping cart abandonment by implementing strategies that allow consumers to think abstractly. Originality/value This research contributes to the literature by identifying an important underlying mechanism affecting online shopping cart abandonment.