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Online shopping adoption during COVID-19 and social isolation: Extending the UTAUT model with herd behavior

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  • Erjavec, Jure
  • Manfreda, Anton

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a new reality for consumers all around the globe. To cope, users of digital technologies have faced the necessity of adopting and using specific technologies practically overnight. They are doing this under the condition of social isolation, all while facing the fear of catching the disease. The purpose of the paper is to study the way unexpected circumstances cause disruptions in existing theoretical models and their implications for the post-COVID-19 era. Therefore, the paper examines the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model under the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic and social isolation, and it identifies herd behavior as a possible new mechanism affecting behavioral intention under these unique decision-making circumstances. Behavioral intention toward online shopping was analyzed using data from 420 individuals aged 60 and older who present an increasingly important potential market for electronic commerce and who are particularly affected by COVID-19. The main results show that performance expectancy still has the most important influence on behavioral intention, whereas the impact of social influence was not supported under these conditions. Rather, herd behavior was identified as particularly influential for behavioral intention. Based on the study results, the option to reconsider the social influence factor in the UTAUT model and its possible complementary mechanisms are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Erjavec, Jure & Manfreda, Anton, 2022. "Online shopping adoption during COVID-19 and social isolation: Extending the UTAUT model with herd behavior," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:joreco:v:65:y:2022:i:c:s0969698921004331
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2021.102867
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    7. Sarkar, Biswajit & Kar, Sumi & Basu, Kajla & Seo, Yong Won, 2023. "Is the online-offline buy-online-pickup-in-store retail strategy best among other product delivery strategies under variable lead time?," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    8. Paolo Franco, 2023. "Older consumers and technology: A critical systematic literature review," AMS Review, Springer;Academy of Marketing Science, vol. 13(1), pages 92-121, June.
    9. Mariia Sozoniuk & Jonghun Park & Natalia Lumby, 2022. "Investigating Residents’ Acceptance of Mobile Apps for Household Recycling: A Case Study of New Jersey," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-18, August.
    10. Antonis A. Michis, 2023. "Retail distribution evaluation in brand-level sales response models," Journal of Marketing Analytics, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(3), pages 366-378, September.
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