Jia Shen

An Examination of Factors Associated with User Acceptance of Social Shopping Websites

Social commerce is the latest development in e-commerce to combine the power of online social networking with shopping. While the adoption of information technology is well studied, new theoretical development is needed to account for the specific characteristics of social commerce applications and their interactions with the user. This study examines factors that are associated with user acceptance of social shopping websites, which are sites designed specifically to support social interactions while users shop. This paper augments the Technology Acceptance Model with constructs that enhance the specificity of the model to the social shopping application of social commerce, including social comparison, social engagement, enjoyment as well as perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness. The model was empirically tested, and the results provided strong support. Implications and directions for future research are also discussed.

Understanding User’s Acceptance of Social Shopping Websites: Effects of Social Comparison and Trust

Social shopping websites are among the latest developments in E-commerce to combine the power of social networking with Internet shopping to provide a unique online experience. While the adoption of information technology is well studied, new theoretical development is needed to account for the specific characteristics of social shopping websites. This study augments the TAM (Technology Acceptance Model) with social factors including an online shopper’s tendency to social comparison, and trust in information privacy and data security. Results provide significant support of the extended model. Directions for future research are discussed.

Social comparison and trust in the acceptance of social shopping websites

With many businesses seeking to seize the momentum of the online social networking phenomenon, social shopping sites have emerged among the latest developments to leverage the power of social networking with online shopping. While the adoption of information technology in general is well studied, new theoretical development can provide a better understanding of the specific characteristics associated with online social shopping applications. This paper extends the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) with two additional constructs: an online shoppers tendency to social comparison, and trust in information privacy and data security. Results support the proposed model. Directions for future research are discussed.