Attitude of Fashion consumers toward the IoT: estimating consumer hedonic and utilitarian shopping motivations

Abstract

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a paradigm of connectivity and networks for devices with electronics, sensors, and software connected to cyberphysical systems anytime and anywhere. As an innovation, the IoT aids consumers in multiple ways in the retail sector, satisfying utilitarian and hedonic shopping motivations, and as a result, exploring their shopping motivation is necessary. This study deploys the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) embedded in perceived enjoyment, trust, and risk to estimate Malaysian consumers’ attitude toward the IoT for online fashion shopping, eventually leading to utilitarian and hedonic shopping motivations. Quantitative survey data collected from Malaysian IoT shoppers were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. The outcomes revealed that IoT performance expectancy, effort expectancy, facilitating conditions, and perceived enjoyment significantly and positively affected attitude toward the IoT. However, the impact of social influence, perceived risk, and perceived trust on attitudes toward the IoT appeared to be insignificant. Attitude toward the IoT significantly influenced utilitarian shopping motivation, followed by value- and adventure-related shopping motivations. This assimilated study model highlights how attitude toward the IoT mediates the relationships among IoT performance expectancy, effort expectancy, facilitating conditions, and perception of enjoyment regarding shopping motivations. The current study adds to the literature by enhancing UTAUT3 and exposing allied shopping motivations toward IoT-facilitated fashion shopping. This study offers practical implications for developing trust and reducing risk to harness positive attitudes toward the IoT to enhance fashion shopping. Related shortcomings and practical implications are outlined at the end of this paper