Factors Influencing the Use Intention of Social Commerce : Focusing on the Moderating Effects of Gender

Due to the recent development of SNS(Social Network Service) which is represented by Twitter and Facebook, social commerce market which combines on-line shopping mall and SNS is expanding. With increasing speed of its market, this study is to focus on detecting the crucial variables promoting the use intention, which results in the sustainable competitive advantage in social commerce market. This research empirically analyzed the use intention of social commerce. Also, this study explores the moderating effects of gender in explaining intention to use social commerce. A technology acceptance model is applied for pinpointing the antecedents of intention to use social commerce and for revealing cross-gender differences. The results from a survey of 452 participants reveal that the effects of perceived risk, perceived usefulness, ease for use and subjective norm on intentions to use social commerce differ across gender. Findings imply that the risk-free quality and portrayal of in-group or out-group situations of social commerce need to be communicated to female consumers, along with the social norms of using social commerce. When targeting male consumers, the technological features illustrating the usefulness of social commerce should be focused. This study will provide diverse implications companies providing social commerce services.