Beyond adoption: sustaining online shopping

The purpose of this research was (1) to determine whether beliefs (relative advantage, enjoyment, and risk) about using the online channel that influence the channel's initial adoption similarly impact sustained use of the channel, (2) to identify the most salient factor(s) influencing each type of sustained usage, and (3) to examine effects of e-tail attributes (functional performance and shopping incentive) on sustained online channel usage among consumers who have adopted the channel. A research model explaining sustained use of the online channel was developed, and research hypotheses were proposed. A national sample of online consumers was surveyed to obtain data. Structural equation modeling was applied to test the proposed model and hypotheses. Findings show that beliefs about the channel do impact continued use of the online channel differently. E-tail attributes indirectly impact continued usage as mediated through beliefs about using the channel. Theoretical and practical implications are provided.