Why Do Iranians Avoid Shopping on the Internet?

Iran is becoming an appropriate country for selling Internet-based products. Evidence illustrates an inverse trend and avoidance in this regard. This study was designed to provide some insights into why Iranians avoid shopping on the Internet. The recent rapid increase in the number of Iranian users (almost 34 million) and low desire to buy from online retailers make it imperative to study various variables affecting this avoidance from online shopping. This study builds a comprehensive theoretical model. The authors examined seven latent variables including: lack of information intermediary, lack of electronic guarantee, lack of electronic reputation, technological and knowledge weakness, lack of interaction, lack of trust, and avoidance from online shopping. In this regard, structural equation modelling (SEM) has been used to specify the model and validate which construct of the proposed model plays the most critical role. The authors found that these constructs successfully explain why Iranians avoid shopping on the Internet. “Lack of electronic guarantee” is found to be the most significance antecedent explaining avoidance of Internet shopping.