The Role of Platform Quality on Consumer Purchase Intention in the Context of Cross-Border E-Commerce: The Evidence from Africa

Abstract

Africa, as one of the rapidly growing markets, presents a significant opportunity for cross-border e-commerce companies to penetrate their consumer market, which is in dire need of development. This study utilizes the Information System Success model to investigate the impact of cross-border e-commerce platform quality on consumers’ purchase intentions. Additionally, the study identifies the role of perceived value and trust in the purchase process. Moreover, the moderating effect of consumer acculturation on the relationship between cross-border platform quality and perceived value is examined. A total of 446 valid responses were obtained through a questionnaire survey and analyzed using structural equations. The findings reveal that platform information quality, system quality, and service quality significantly enhance consumers’ perceived value, thereby positively influencing their purchase intention. Furthermore, the results highlight the joint effect of perceived value and trust on purchase intention, and trust plays a mediating role in this relationship. The moderating effect of acculturation is also confirmed, indicating that it negatively moderates the impact of system and information quality on perceived value, while positively moderating the impact of service quality on perceived value. These findings complement and extend existing cross-border e-commerce research and provide valuable insights into the buying behavior of African consumers.