Investigating usage intentions for MaaS over time: A stage-based lens considering pre-adoption, onboarding, and post-adoption stages

Previous studies have primarily examined the individual stages of MaaS use intention, overlooking the fact that user acceptance is an evolving, multi-phase process. Moreover, while most existing studies focus on pre-adoption intentions regarding MaaS, fewer examine its initial use, and even fewer investigate continuance usage intentions.Departing from this fragmented approach, this study adopts a stage-based perspective to examine how individuals’ adoption of MaaS differs across three distinct phases, including pre-adoption, onboarding, and post-adoption, based on cross-sectional comparisons of users with different levels of experience.We developed structural equation models aimed at three different stages by integrating several theoretical frameworks from consumer marketing, including the theory of planned behavior, the technology acceptance model, and customer satisfaction theory. Using questionnaire data from Beijing, we found stage-specific factors and mechanisms that influence MaaS use, particularly the differential influencing patterns of carbon credit incentives over time. The findings demonstrate that: (1) At the pre-adoption stage, subjective norms, environmental awareness, and carbon credit incentives positively influence intentions to MaaS adoption, while perceived privacy risk and habit have no significant direct effects. (2) During the onboarding stage, perceived usefulness emerges as the central contributor. Personal innovativeness and perceived ease of use influence perceived usefulness indirectly. (3) At the post-adoption stage, satisfaction and service quality are the primary determinants of MaaS continuance use, while carbon credit incentives have no direct effect. (4) Carbon credit incentives function as a direct motivator in the pre-adoption stage but transition to a fully mediated role in later stages. These results demonstrate that as users become more engaged with MaaS, carbon credit incentives shift from directly activating behavior to indirectly facilitating it through cognitive and affective mediators. The study provides substantial empirical evidence to inform the design of tailored promotional strategies for MaaS platforms and policy interventions in consumers’ use intention for MaaS during different stages.