Key Determinants of Online Ad Avoidance: Moderating Effect of Retargeting

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore the key determinants of online ad avoidance where the impact of goal impediment (G.I.), privacy concern (P.C.), ad irritation (A.I.), negative experience (N.E.), and retargeting (R.I.) on online ad avoidance (O.A.A.) is explored. Online advertising avoidance can be an action or steps taken by viewers while surfing the internet, and it is identified as a significant challenge for digital advertising. Literature has implications that goal impediment, privacy concern, ad irritation, and negative experience to be the key determinants of ad avoidance. There are implications that G.I., P.C., and A.I. are having an impact on N.E. and N.E. has an impact on O.A.A. Therefore, NE is identified as a mediator. Further, R.T. is identified in the literature as having a moderating role between N.E. and O.A.A. To examine the impact of the key determinants and the O.A.A., 12 hypotheses were developed, and a quantitative approach was used with a structured questionnaire for primary data collection. A convenient sample of 300 was collected from the Western province. In terms of measuring the relationships between variables, the researcher employed the Partial Least Square (P.L.S.) structural equation modeling with S.P.S.S. and SmartPLS tools. All the direct hypotheses and the mediating hypotheses were supported by the data. Moderating impact of R.T. was not supported. The study’s findings reveal valuable implications for online advertisers to improve their reachability and viewership. Consideration of these findings in digital advertising strategies can create a positive, commercial, and economic impact on online advertising.