Internet-based e-shopping and consumer attitudes: an empirical study

• Published in: Information & management Vol. 38; no. 5; pp. 299 - 306
• Main Authors: Liao, Ziqi, Cheung, Michael Tow
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.04.2001; Elsevier Science; Elsevier Sequoia S.A
• Subjects: Applied sciences; B2C e-commerce; Consumer attitudes; Electronic commerce; Empirical study; Exact sciences and technology; Internet; Internet virtual shopping; Regression analysis; Studies; Survey; Telecommunications; Telecommunications and information theory; Teleprocessing networks. Isdn; Singapore; B2C e-commerce; Survey; Consumer attitudes; Empirical study; Internet virtual shopping; Consumer behavior; Attitude; Preference; Virtual reality; Regression analysis; Electronic trade; Internet; Failures; Variable transformation
• ISSN: 0378-7206; 1872-7530
• DOI: 10.1016/S0378-7206(00)00072-0

This paper analyses consumer attitudes towards Internet-based e-shopping. It aims to provide a theoretically and empirically grounded initial reference position, against which later research can explore and interpret the effects of changes in variables representing consumer preferences and shifts in these preferences on the success or failure of B2C e-commerce over the Internet. Because of the opportunity to sample at the outset and of ceteris paribus conditions following from the tendency for other factors such as e-transactions cost to remain small and constant, Singapore data were employed. Regression analysis shows that the life content of products, transactions security, price, vendor quality, IT education and Internet usage significantly affect the initial willingness of Singaporeans to e-shop on the Internet. Generalising, we suggest that Internet-based B2C e-commerce can profitably be introduced or promoted along similar dimensions in socio-geographically and technologically similar situations.