Predicting online purchase behavior: replications and tests of competing models

Abstract

In this paper we report on a study into the antecedents of online purchase intention for B2C websites. In particular this research juxtaposes two competing models that explain online purchase intention. A replication was carried out of the trust-oriented study by S.L. Jarvenpaa et al. (2000), and the website oriented model from P.Y.K. Chau et al. (2000), first developed by F.D. Davis (1989). The replication study involved 227 undergraduate students, and resulted in a number of findings. First, online purchase intention at the website is strongly determined by attitude towards online shopping at the website. Second, trust in the company does not influence attitude directly, but indirectly through a significant impact on perceived risk. Third, website usefulness does not significantly influence attitude towards shopping and online purchase intention. We conclude that trust-oriented models appear to be more appropriate to explain online purchase intention than website-oriented models.