Modeling e-coupon proneness as a mediator in the extended TPB model to predict consumers' usage intentions

Purpose - Given the growing importance of e-coupons as promotional devices, predicting consumers' e-coupons redemption intention is essential to the evaluation of this promotion strategy. This paper aims to address this issue. An extended theory of planned behavior (TPB) research model which further includes consumers' e-coupon proneness as a mediator is built in this study to predict consumers' usage intentions of e-coupons. Design/methodology/approach - This research collected research data on a questionnaire collection web site, because most e-coupon users are also intemet surfers. There were 626 valid surveys returned as the data input for structural equation model (SEM) analysis. Findings - The results from this empirical study reveal that failure to include e-coupon proneness as a mediator in the extended TPB model can lead to an inability to explain consumers' usage intentions of e-coupons well. Moreover, given such a totally new environment, the direct influences of consumers' perceived behavioral control of using e-coupons and consumers' past behavior of using e-coupons are strong predictors and cannot be ignored. Research limitations/implications - The main limitation of this study is that the measures of the independent and dependent variables in the present study are based on self-reported methods. It is likely that the relationships among some of the variables may be somewhat inflated, and a common method variance must be considered. Practical implications - The empirical results and findings from this study are helpful to online marketers if they can identify those consumers who have e-coupon proneness and tailor the promotion campaigns to these consumers, raising the e-coupon redemption intentions. Originality/value - To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is among the first to provide analytical insight into e-coupon usage intention with e-coupon proneness as a mediator by building an extended TPB model in computer-mediated environments.