Online shopping spree in times of COVID-19 pandemic

This article aims at shedding the light on the role played by the user’s psychological states on online compulsive shopping and the resulting attitude towards online shopping during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on escape theory, we proposed a conceptual model tested through a survey conducted on 300 internet users. Data was analysed through a partial least squares analysis and revealed that online compulsive buying appears in consumers whose personalities are marked by materialism (acquisition centrality), anxiety about COVID-19, and boredom due to lack of activity. In addition, it was proven that online compulsive shopping leads to positive attitudes towards online shopping. The results contribute to theoretical and managerial understanding of online compulsive shopping in times of sanitary crisis. Copyright © 2023 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.