The effect of innovativeness on the adoption of B2C e-commerce: A model based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour

This paper analyses the factors that lead Internet users to becoming online shoppers. In particular, assuming that Internet is an innovation affecting the way individuals shop, a model of electronic commerce adoption is proposed that adds personal innovativeness to the traditional formulation of the Theory of Planned Behaviour. The theoretical model proposed is tested on a sample of Web users with no experience in online shopping. The results denote that electronic commerce acceptance is determined by attitudes to the system, subjective norm and personal innovativeness in the domain of information technology. Moreover, we find that personal innovativeness has a moderating effect on the acceptance of electronic commerce. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.