Retailing in the Face of Uncertainty: How Consumers' Hope and Fear Shape Channel Choice

ABSTRACT This study investigates how consumers’ societal norms, reflecting hope and fear during periods of retail uncertainty, influence their choice of shopping channel. Across three studies, the authors examined the relationship between societal norms and consumers' in‐store shopping likelihood, along with the moderating role of subjective norms, and the moderated‐mediation of internal locus of control. The findings show that hopeful and fearful societal norms differentially affect in‐store shopping likelihood depending on corresponding subjective norms. Hopeful subjective norms amplify the positive relationship between consumers' hope and in‐store shopping likelihood. Conversely, fearful subjective norms exacerbate the negative relationship between consumers' fear and in‐store shopping likelihood, a pattern explained by reduced internal locus of control. These results provide actionable strategies for retailers to navigate consumers' shopping behaviors during periods of uncertainty.