Building Bonds with Food Delivery Apps: Determinants of App Attachment & Continuous Intention–Does Gender Matter?

This study examines how consumer app attachment, influenced by FDA attributes, impacts continuous usage intentions, considering gender differences using 475 individuals aged 20+ who used FDAs monthly. Using SmartPLS, we tested proposed relationships and conducted multi-group analysis for gender perspectives. Findings indicate that layout, functionality, financial security, and customer service significantly impact app attachment, which in turn influences continuous FDA usage. Moreover, PLS-MGA revealed gender-specific differences in the relationship between aesthetic appeal, app attachment, and continuous usage intention. While our findings may be limited by the focus on third-party delivery apps and data collection solely in Malaysia, they offer valuable insights for FDA service providers. This study contributes to the literature by exploring the unexplored area of app attachment’s influence on continuous usage intention in the context of FDAs. Our analysis, grounded in the SOR Theory and employing a gendered perspective, provides valuable insights into this understudied aspect of consumer behaviour.