Motivations and barriers to purchasing online: understanding consumer responses

Abstract

Purpose The online purchasing behaviour of consumers has recently become a topic of increased interest and attention for marketers, policymakers, and researchers. However, due to its complex nature, this phenomenon is still in its infancy in many developing countries and needs to be paid more attention. Using the technology acceptance model (TAM), the purpose of this paper is to examine the role of utilitarian and hedonic shopping motivations, as well as the trust and privacy concerns of consumers in their online purchasing intentions, in a developing South Asian country: Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 859 respondents through a self-administrated questionnaire using the non-probability convenience sampling technique and were analysed using the structural equation modelling. Findings The results of this study demonstrate that, more than hedonic values, trust, and privacy concerns, utilitarian values positively influence consumers’ attitudes to online purchasing. Consequently, consumers’ attitudes positively influence their online purchasing intentions. The findings indicate that Pakistani consumers buy online for goal-oriented reasons. Not surprisingly, they feel unsafe buying online due to concerns over trust and data privacy. Practical implications The findings of this study have various practical and managerial implications for electronic businesses in developing countries. This study serves as a guide for the development of effective online marketing and selling strategies. Originality/value This paper contributes to the existing literature on business to consumer e-commerce by identifying and empirically validating motivational factors and factors of concern using the TAM model. The extended TAM model, which integrates shopping motivations, trust, and privacy factors, can provide a solid theoretical foundation for consumers’ online purchasing behaviour in a developing country.