Consumer adoption of the internet as a shopping medium: the case of thailand

The problem. The purpose of the study was to examine the impact of the diffusion of the Internet as it relates to Thai Internet consumers. This study provides a better understanding of consumer adoption of the Internet as a shopping medium for purchasing consumer products and services through the process of consumer acceptance of a new technology by focusing on extrinsic and intrinsic value perspectives. Method. Primary data were collected via a questionnaire, using a personal approach. The study surveyed 300 Thai consumers who resided in the metropolitan area of Bangkok. The majority of participants were graduate students and business employees, who were also current Internet users. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to measure the relationships among the key variables, including consumer characteristics, the perceived characteristics of Internet shopping, consumers' attitude toward Internet shopping, and consumers' purchase intention, in order to answer the research questions. Results. The research findings revealed that the respondents' Internet experience (duration of Internet usage and frequency of online purchase) had a positive relationship with innovation characteristics (perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and perceived enjoyment). There was a positive relationship between Internet experience in the aspects of prior online purchase experience and perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment. In contrast, the respondents' internet experience in the area of frequency of online purchase was found to have negative relationship with perceived security risk. The correlated results supported the positive relationship between consumer innovativeness and consumer purchase intent regarding Internet shopping. Overall, innovation characteristics and consumer characteristics had a direct relationship with attitude toward Internet shopping and, in turn, influenced willingness to adopt the Internet as a shopping medium. The study also produced some original findings. Respondents who had purchased products or services online were less likely to believe that Internet shopping is useful. Some respondents with frequent Internet purchasing perceived the Internet as a complicated medium for shopping.