Influence of congruity in store-attribute dimensions and self-image on purchase intentions in online stores of multichannel retailers

• A study of trust, attitude, and purchase intentions in the context of multi-channel retailers.
• Congruity between online and offline stores influences trust directly and attitude indirectly.
• Congruity between self-image and store image influences both trust and attitude directly.
• Attitude, with hedonic and utilitarian dimensions, has strongest effect on purchase intentions.

Online stores of multichannel retailers continue to lag pure internet retailers with reference to consumers' shopping intentions and sales. This study develops and tests a framework in which (a) trust and attitude (conceptualized as a second-order construct with hedonic and utilitarian dimensions) influence purchase intentions, (b) congruity between the multichannel retailer's land-based and online stores (conceptualized as a second-order constructs made up of seven dimensions: aesthetic appeal, navigation convenience, transaction convenience, atmosphere, service, price orientation, and security) influences trust in and attitude toward the online store, and (c) congruity between consumers' self-image and perceived image of the online store influences trust in and attitude toward the online store. The findings provide robust support for the framework and have strong implications for theory and practice.