Abstract
Business-to-consumer aspect of electronic commerce (EC) is the most visible business use of the World Wide Web (WWW). A virtual store, simply stated, is “a storefront in cyberspace, a place where customers can shop from their home computers and where merchants can offer merchandise and services for a fraction of the overhead required in a physical storefront” [33]. It allows companies to offer direct sales to their customers through an electronic channel [17]. The fundamental problem motivating this research study is that in order for a virtual store to compete effectively with both physical stores and other online retailers, there is an urgent need to understand the factors that entice consumers to use a virtual store. This research aims to provide both theoretical and empirical analysis to explain consumers' use of a virtual store and its antecedents. By applying the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), this research takes a technology acceptance perspective to examine consumer behavior in virtual store context. The data from a survey of online consumers are used to empirically test the proposed research model. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) is performed to examine the reliability and validity of the measurement model, and structure equation modeling (SEM) technique is used to evaluate the causal model. The implication of the research model to both researchers and practitioners is also discussed.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have