Purpose – This paper seeks to understand the triggers which influence the adoption (and the discontinuation) of online grocery shopping. Specifically, the research aims to establish the role of situational factors in the process of adoption. Design/methodology/approach – A two-step research process is employed. First, exploratory qualitative research is carried out, with the purpose of gaining an in-depth understanding of consumers' online grocery shopping behaviour. This is followed by a large-scale quantitative survey extending the findings of the qualitative research and validating the role of situational factors in instigating the commencement (and discontinuation) of online grocery buying. Cluster analysis is used to segment consumers based on the importance of specific types of situations. Findings – Both qualitative and quantitative results establish the importance of situational factors, such as having a baby or developing health problems, as triggers for starting to buy groceries online. Many shoppers are found to discontinue online grocery shopping once the initial trigger has disappeared or they have experienced a problem with the service. Practical implications – While situational factors are beyond a marketer's control, they could be used as a basis for marketing communications content and target advertising, for instance, by using magazines directed at new parents. Originality/value – The importance of situational factors as triggers for the adoption of online grocery shopping suggests an erratic adoption process, driven by circumstances rather than by a cognitive elaboration and decision. The adoption of online shopping seems to be contingent and may be discontinued when the initiating circumstances change.

This study investigates the role of response time in recovering from service failures taking place in the e-retail context. Employing an experimental design, the study reveals that customers construe time in abstract terms. Response time during service recovery is evaluated in combination with the compensation rendered by the firm and the criticality of the service experience. The extent to which the three factors – response time, compensation and criticality – activate abstract construals matters to customers. The study demonstrates that delaying the proess of recovery can result in customer satisfaction, repatronage and positive word of mouth, when apology is provided and criticality of the service is low. Notably, customers are likely to accept delay if their negative emotions are low. This study advances a novel perspective on the role of response time in online service failure and recovery. Importantly, it provides empirical evidence on the viability of delayed recovery following service failures in e-retailing. The study challenges the conventional wisdom that delayed recovery is inefficacious. It also suggests that the effectiveness of delayed recovery, as advocated in past research, needs to be revisited in the light of customer construals. Key managerial implications and avenues for future research are outlined in the study