Perceptions of Presence as Antecedents to E-tail Shopping- An Extended Technology Acceptance Model -

Abstract

Drawing on the literature on TAM and presence, this study proposes a model of the extended TAM by identifying factors that affect the motivations to enhance our understanding of online consumers’ acceptance of an e-tail website. This study conceptualizes that consumers’ perceived presence variables such as telepresence and social presence are the antecedents to the motivations of TAM. Empirical tests using regression analyses generally supported the proposed model. The overall conclusion from the current data is that our integrated model is useful in understanding consumers’ acceptance of an apparel e-tail website. The findings show that perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and perceived interest motivations act as strong determinants of consumers’ attitude toward an e-tailer, which leads to their behavioral intentions about the e-tailer. This suggests that apparel e-tailers should consider these three motivations when they design their websites. As one way to influence these three factors, this study showed the role of perceived presence in the usage of an apparel e-tail website. The findings suggest that online consumers’ perceptions of “being there” and “socialness” stimulate their perceptions of usefulness and interest in the website use. Thus, e-tailers should consider effective ways to increase consumers’ perceived presence.