Trust, perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness when buying books online : Maltese University students’ experience

Abstract

The shift from traditional to online retailing has attracted interest from researchers who wish to investigate online shopping traits and behaviours further. This exponential growth of e-commerce raises many questions on risks and how difficult or easy the system is to use. Also, the more convenient this service is, the more consumers tend to use the Internet as a means of shopping. Therefore, electronic commerce has received a substantial amount of growth, and understanding consumers’ role in today’s economic climate is crucial. This research study focused on consumer behaviour in an online context. The aim of the study was to investigate whether Trust, Perceived Ease of Use and Perceived Usefulness are related to Intentions to Buy Online. Based on an online survey conducted amongst 251 Maltese university students, results showed that both trust and perceived usefulness positively relate to consumers’ intention to buy. This study has also shown that respondents tend to trust more an online vendor with whom they have not had any personal contact than with someone they already know. However, perceived ease of use was not related to intentions. These findings are also largely confirmed by existing literature that was reviewed.