Determining the factors influencing South African consumers consumers’ continued purchase intentions towards products offered on mobile commerce applications

Abstract

In recent years, South Africa has experienced a transformative shift in its digital commerce landscape, with mobile commerce emerging as a dominant force. This study offers a comprehensive exploration of this trend. Set against the backdrop of rapid smartphone technology advancements and the far-reaching implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, the research delves deep into the nuances of mobile commerce adoption in the South African context. The study underscores the increasing reliance of South African consumers on mobile commerce applications, highlighting that 50% of them are now shopping more frequently online than before. This shift is not just a result of technological accessibility but also the convenience and flexibility that mobile commerce offers, breaking traditional geographical and temporal barriers. With the ability to shop from anywhere and anytime, consumers find unparalleled value in mobile platforms. Central to the research are five key constructs that shape consumer attitudes towards mobile commerce applications: ease of use, usefulness, enjoyment, subjective norm, and customisation. The perceived ease of use and usefulness are identified as primary drivers influencing a consumer's decision to adopt and engage with a mobile commerce application. The study posits that if consumers find an application easy to navigate and believe it adds value to their shopping experience, they are more likely to use it consistently. As a psychological construct, enjoyment delves into the emotional and experiential aspects of using the application. A positive, seamless, and engaging user experience can lead to higher levels of satisfaction and, consequently, continued usage. On the other hand, subjective norms focus on the societal and peer influences that impact a consumer's attitude towards mobile commerce. If peers and society view mobile shopping positively, consumers are more inclined to adopt it. Customisation emerges as a significant factor in the research. The ability of mobile commerce applications to offer a tailored and personalised shopping experience, catering to individual preferences and needs, significantly enhances user engagement and satisfaction. According to the findings presented in the document, there is a positive and significant relationship between customisation and the attitude towards mobile commerce applications. This suggests that when users perceive a higher level of customisation in an application, they tend to have a more favourable attitude towards it. The study's model, which employs factor analysis, reveals that customisation is intricately linked with the user's attitude towards mobile commerce applications. For instance, statements assessing customisation, such as "The content in the mobile commerce application is specific to my needs" received a mean score of 4.35, indicating that most respondents felt the content was tailored to their requirements. However, the statement "It feels like the mobile commerce application is talking personally to me as a consumer" had a slightly lower mean score of 4.08, suggesting that there is room for improvement in creating a more personalised connection with the user. In conclusion, the study emphasises the critical importance for businesses in South Africa to understand and integrate these constructs. By doing so, they can effectively tap into the burgeoning potential of mobile commerce, ensuring increased adoption and sustained and meaningful consumer engagement in the long run. The research underlines the necessity of a user-centric design philosophy, emphasising intuitive navigation, enjoyable interaction, and personalised content as the anchor for success in the burgeoning mobile commerce sector of South Africa.