Possible determinants of consumers’ adoption of electronic grocery shopping in the Netherlands

Abstract

This study examines (1) the relationship between the (dis) advantages of electronic grocery shopping, in comparison to traditional in-store shopping, and consumers’ perception of the innovation characteristics (i.e., relative advantage, compatibility and complexity) of electronic grocery shopping, and (2) the relationship between consumers’ perception of these characteristics and their intention to adopt electronic grocery shopping. These relationships are examined using a sample of 415 households in the Netherlands. The results indicate that the advantages and disadvantages of physical efforts and time pressure related to traditional in-store shopping positively influence consumers’ perception of the characteristics of electronic grocery shopping. The results further show that consumers’ perception of the relative advantage and compatibility of electronic grocery shopping positively influence their intention to adopt electronic grocery shopping. Consumers’ perception of the complexity of electronic grocery shopping negatively influences their intention to adopt electronic grocery shopping. It is also explored whether income, education and age moderate these relationships.