Factors affecting intentions to purchase via the internet

PurposeTo investigate web‐shopping behaviour in Hong Kong: identification of the general attitude towards web‐shopping; relationships between past web‐shopping experience, attitude towards web‐shopping, adoption decisions, search behaviour and web‐shopping intentions; and influences of promotional offers and product categories on web‐shopping intentions.Design/methodology/approachRelevant hypotheses were constructed and a web‐based questionnaire survey was than conducted using technically educated subjects. The proposed hypotheses were statistically tested and principal components analysis and structural equations were used to produce a structural model.FindingsWeb‐shopping intentions are directly affected by web‐search behaviour and web‐shopping adoption decisions, and are indirectly affected by web‐shopping attitudes, past web‐shopping experiences and past experience with the web. Web‐search behaviour was a stronger factor than adoption decision in terms of influencing web‐shopping intentions. The presence of promotional offers had a positive effect on web‐shopping intentions, and web‐shopping intentions were different for different product categories.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample employed was composed of technically educated undergraduates and graduates and thus limiting generalizations to a higher levels.Practical implicationsExperienced internet users and experienced web‐shoppers are more likely to be potential future web‐shoppers. Those who have a general dislike for shopping and who tend to buy in a great haste when the purchase becomes absolutely necessary may eventually be another group to become web‐shoppers.Originality/valueThe primary value of this paper lies in extending the understanding of Hong Kong web‐shopper behaviour, and in developing an empirical model that can partly explain the processes leading to web‐shopping intentions.