The diffusion of online shopping: online shoppers and the Computer Competence Index

摘要

This paper discusses online shopping in context of diffusion of innovation theory. It proposes that online shopping is a discontinuous innovation whose adoption rate is influenced by several of Rogers' (2004) diffusion deterrents. A new 12-item 'Computer Competence Index' (CCI) is proposed and tested using data from an internet-administered US probability study of 1800 online users. EShoppers are profiled using a tertile split of the CCI. Each tertile's demographics, computer activities, computer-oriented lifestyles, and online purchase activities are reported. Evidence is presented that concepts related to the diffusion of innovation may explain resistance in the growth of online shopping.