Consumer acceptance and use of airline e-commerce websites to purchase tickets: an application of the Extended UTAUT (UTAUT2)

Resumen

This study aims to examine the different factors affecting consumer acceptance and use of airline e-commerce websites to purchase air tickets and to validate a new conceptual framework (Venkatesh et al., 2012) in this context. Based on the Extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2), this paper includes seven explanatory variables: performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation, price value, and habit. Data from 1,360 usable questionnaires, collected in Spain, were tested against the research model. Our findings indicate that the main predictors of online purchase intention are, in order of relevance, habit, price saving, performance expectancy, facilitating conditions, social influence, and hedonic motivation. However, there is no significant impact of effort expectancy on the online purchase intention. On the other hand, the results highlight that the main predictors of use behavior are, in order of importance, habit, online purchase intention and facilitating conditions. Theoretical and managerial implications of these results are discussed.