An Empirical Study of Consumers Intention to Purchase Wooden Handicraft Items Online: Using Extended Technology Acceptance Model

Abstract

Handicraft is one of the many productive sectors for developing countries. It contributes significantly towards economic growth. This study seeks to investigate consumers’ perception towards purchase of wooden handicraft items through e-commerce platform. The proposed extended technology acceptance model investigates the role of website quality, service and product perception on consumers purchase intention towards wooden handicraft items online. Trust acts as a mediator to study its effect on consumer intention. The effect of website quality, service and product perception was analyzed for the technology acceptance model constructs, namely perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness. A total of 234 respondents were surveyed and data was analyzed using structural equation modelling technique. Service perception and product perception determine perceived usefulness whereas perceived ease of use is determined by website quality and service perception. The results show that trust has positive role in determining consumers’ purchase intention. Website quality, service and product perception determine trust, and they build consumers’ confidence in online shopping. Both seller and website should have effective strategies to build consumers’ trust. The research suggests that sellers can significantly surge consumers’ trust by improvising product and service perception, whereas the website can ensure consumers’ trust by increasing the quality of website and service perception.