Potential determinants of consumers' intention to purchase 3D printed fashion products

Abstract

PurposeFashion products such as clothes, accessories, bags and footwear created using 3D printed technology are referred to as 3D printed fashion (3DPF) products. This study investigates consumers' motivation to purchase 3DPF products. In particular, this study adopts a multi-dimensional approach to explore the effects of personality-related traits such as innate, domain-specific and actualized innovativeness, as well as examine the effects of perceptions toward 3D printing technology (3DPT) (i.e. perceived security risk, performance expectancy). Based on the concepts of consumer innovativeness and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), the authors expect the effects of consumers' innovativeness and perception of 3DPT and confirm its significant effects on a positive attitude toward 3DPF products and future purchase intention of 3DPF products.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative research design (i.e. survey) is utilized to examine the suggested relationships and application of existing theory in this study. All measurement items are adapted from previous literature and use a Likert-scale. The authors examined a total of 326 responses using a series of statistical analyses, including descriptive statistics, structural equation modeling and conditional process modeling.FindingsThe results of this study confirmed that innate and domain-specific innovativeness are critical antecedents of creating a positive attitude toward using 3DPF products through perceptions toward 3DPT. In addition, 3DPF innovativeness, as actualized innovativeness, was validated to strengthen the relationship between personal innovativeness and attitude, providing evidence that innovation-related traits can predict behaviors. Interestingly, technological innovativeness was not found to be a predictor of perceived security risk. It may be due that 3DPF products are still novel to consumers.Research limitations/implicationsThe study participants were people who were interested in technology, not consumers who had prior experience with using 3DPF products. Future studies are encouraged to include consumers who have actually purchased or used 3DPF products.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study indicate that consumers' use of new technology is determined by personality and interest in specific product categories. Practitioners may use this information to segment/target consumer groups to introduce a new/unfamiliar product.Originality/valueThe findings of this study contribute to the existing literature on consumer adoption of innovation by combining two approaches, the hierarchy of consumer innovativeness and the UTAUT, in the context of advanced technology adoption behavior.