Optimizing Customer Repurchase Intention through Cognitive and Affective Experience: An Insight of Food Delivery Applications

Mobile food order applications have become a phenomenal disruption in the food delivery industry. Customers demand better and more consistent experiences when making most purchases, including in food choices. Food delivery platforms have also been seen as the most convenient feature for customers during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Although food delivery applications have been widely used, there is only a scarce literature that focuses on the factors that optimize user experience and repurchase intention. The current study attempted to explore customer repurchase intention, driven through cognitive and affective experience, towards food delivery applications. In the current study, we conceptualized and empirically confirmed an integrated model of antecedents for cognitive and affective experience and its influence on application satisfaction and repurchase intention. The model also incorporated situational factors (distance to restaurant and availability of time to visit restaurant) as a moderating variable. To test the proposed model, data were collected from 350 regular users of different food delivery applications. Subsequently, the data were analyzed using partial least square-structural equation modeling where the findings substantially supported the significance of cognitive and affective experience on application satisfaction and repurchase intention towards food delivery applications. In addition, the results of multigroup analysis (MGA) also confirmed the positive impact of situational factors as a moderator between application satisfactions and repurchase intention. The findings of the study provide important insights into how food delivery applications can accelerate cognitive and affective experience and use application satisfaction to encourage repeat buying intention. The results also offer guidance in designing and implementing effective approaches and strategies for food delivery retailers.