Consumers' Acceptance of Smart Clothing -A Comparison between Perceived Group and Non-Perceived Group-

Abstract

This study explains the consumer acceptance of smart clothing using the extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM); in addition, it compares the difference in the path hypotheses of the perceived group and nonperceived group from the aspect of the extended TAM. A total of 815 copies of questionnaire were collected from a web-based survey in March 2009. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the entire pattern of intercorrelations among the constructs and to test related propositions using an AMOS 5.0 package. The fitness of the extended TAM explains the process of the adaptation of smart clothing. Technology Innovation (TI) and Clothing Involvement (CI) were confirmed as antecedent variables to affect TAM. In the perceived group, Technology Innovation (TI) and Clothing Involvement (CI) showed significant impacts on the Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU) and Perceived Usefulness (PU) while Technology Innovation (TI) did not influence the Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU) in the non-perceived group. Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU) influenced the Perceived Usefulness (PU) and indirectly influenced Attitude (A) through the Perceived Usefulness (PU) in both groups. In addition, Perceived Usefulness (PU) did not influence Acceptance Intention (AI) but indirectly affected Acceptance Intention (AI) through Attitude (A). Therefore, Attitude (A) was found to be an important parameter in the adaptation of smart clothing in both groups. This finding implies that consumers first perceive the usefulness of smart clothing, then take favorable attitudes towards the smart clothing, and finally have the intention to adopt it. Strategies for publishing and informing consumers of the functions of smart clothing and usefulness in life are necessary; in addition, understanding what useful values they expect from the clothing is also crucial.