Acceptance of mobile commerce in low-income consumers: evidence from an emerging economy

Social media facilitated learning and parents' purchase intentions of non-academic tutoring services for children

Chinese parents have increasingly invested in children's non-academic development, which forms new consumer markets. This study draws on social learning theory and the supplementary tutoring literature to examine whether and how three outcomes of social media facilitated social learning (i.e., observed perfectionism, observed parent image, and trust in peer word of mouth) influence parents' purchase intentions of non-academic supplementary tutoring services for their children. Results based on the multiple regression analyses of 398 parents' responses from 15 non-academic supplementary tutoring agencies confirmed eight of ten hypotheses in our conceptual framework. The findings shed light on parents' conformity and comparison mechanisms during social media-facilitated social learning, with theoretical implications to research regarding social learning, perfectionism, word of mouth, vulnerability, trust transfer, and practical implications about social media-facilitated learning regarding parent image, parents' anxiety about children's development and the impact of educational policy on the supplementary tutoring market.

Factors affecting adoption and use of M-commerce services among the customers in Saudi Arabia

M-commerce has the potential to change consumers' shopping habits and establish itself as a significant commerce channel. People rely on digital devices more than ever before, and the growth in M-commerce predicts that mobile will become the preferred channel for online shopping soon. This study is aimed at examining the effect of personal factors, economic factors, ease of doing factors, and safety-related factors due to Covid-19 on the adoption and use of M-commerce services among customers in Saudi Arabia. The study is empirical and is based on survey responses from 340, M-commerce customers in Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire method was used to collect the data. ANOVA and bivariate regression analysis were used to evaluate the collected data. The results showed that four independent variables, namely, personal, economic, ease of doing, and safety factors during the Covid-19 pandemic, are significant predictors of the dependent variable, adoption and use of M-commerce services by the customers. These factors influence customers' purchasing decisions when they use M-commerce services. The study also concluded that the frequency of using M-commerce has increased during the Covid-19 pandemic because of health, safety, and social distancing guidelines. One of the main limitation of the study is the few selective constructs for the research. The finding of the study will be beneficial to the customers to understand the significance of M-commerce services, especially during pandemic situations.

A Holistic Perspective Model of Plenary Online Consumer Behaviors for Sustainable Guidelines of the Electronic Business Platforms

The holistic perspective model is a concept of three stages that considers the whole of online consumer behavior. It is based on dynamic aspects and overview measurement to demonstrate the preliminary of three stages, including “Pre-purchase”, “Purchase” and “Post-purchase”. There is a shared purpose for all the positive, negative, and hesitation factors that inhibit or encourage online shopping decisions. This model can capture the dynamic and fast-changing elements in online shopping platforms. Most online buying-selling platforms are gaining popularity and growing rapidly. Thus, they should maintain good levels of online customers’ satisfaction. This research presents a balanced investigation model of online consumer purchasing behaviors under uncertainty through the integration of Push-Pull Mooring (PPM) theory and the three stages of online consumer behaviors. In this study, questionnaires were collected from 525 online applications from experienced users of electronic business platforms. The outcome reveals that PPM affects three stages of online consumer behaviors. This means that PPM factors influence online customers during and after online shopping. This research can be used to develop attractive online shopping applications for prospective customers while retaining existing customers, which is the challenge faced by online shopping platforms.

Assessing the Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on M-Commerce Adoption: An Adapted UTAUT2 Approach

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted consumers’ lives and their shopping patterns, leading them towards mobile commerce. To address current shopping circumstances, an adapted UTAUT2 model aims to integrate trust and perceptions of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on consumers’ behavioral intention to rely on m-commerce during this period. The study proposes a research model which is investigated with the help of structural equation modelling in AMOS. Using the framework of a cross-sectional study, data were collected from an emerging market in Romania, where internet speed ranks 4th worldwide and where the yearly increase in internet and social media users is approximately 10%. By using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling, the research validates the applicability of UTAUT2 in examining consumers’ behavioral intent of using m-commerce during a pandemic. Hedonic motivation is the strongest predictor of consumers’ behavioral intentions to continue using m-commerce. The findings contribute to understandings of consumers’ behavior with m-commerce in an emerging market, extending knowledge based on the adapted UTAUT2 model and allowing for comprehension of the key role of trust and social influences in affecting consumers’ perceptions of the COVID-19 outbreak in relation to shopping patterns.

A retentive consumer behavior assessment model of the online purchase decision-making process

Nowadays, most shoppers use e-business online platforms. However, consumer behaviors need to be studied in terms of satisfaction and the intention to purchase and re-purchase according to the online shopping process because online shopping platforms still have influenced their usage behaviors. This work proposes a retentive consumer behavior assessment model of the online shopping platforms through integration of Technology Acceptance Model and Online Purchase Decision-Making Process with two input factors: Trust and Quality. A questionnaire designed according to all factors from the proposed conceptual model is used to collect data from a sample group. The participants of this study are 384 respondents who have experienced using online shopping platforms. The data is used to analyze causal relationships through the use of structural equation modeling. The results showed that the proposed model can be explained for the relationship with consistent E-Business platforms affecting purchase and continue to purchase (re-purchase or recommend) behaviors of online trading users, and it also can be used to assess purchasing behaviors and repeating purchases of online consumers through 3 types of E-businesses: E-commerce, M-commerce, and S-commerce. The benefit of this study will help online shopping businesses to strategize the development of designed platforms for consumers' needs.

Generation Z’ Young Adults and M-Commerce Use in Romania

Generation Z spends much time on mobile Internet and less time accessing Internet services using desktop computers. These traits make them an important niche that can be targeted by retailers. The objective of the present study is to analyze the impact of online advertising, social influence, and usage motivation on the behavioral intention related to m-commerce use among Romanian young adults. The research methodology is based on applying partial least square equation modelling (PLS-SEM), using data collected through a questionnaire. The proposed structural model includes four constructs that are first order reflective. The results reveal that among the influencing factors that determine Generation Z to use m-commerce, the usage motivation factor is the most important one, followed by social influence and online advertising. The research is useful for marketing professionals and retailers in establishing marketing strategies in accordance with the factors that influence the buying decision of young adults, representing Generation Z.