Gender differs: Assessing a model of online purchase intentions in e-tail service

Purpose – This study proposes a model of online purchase intentions. Four exogenous constructs – namely, personal awareness of security, personal innovativeness, perceived ease of purchasing, and perceived usefulness – have not only direct influences on attitudes and online purchase intentions, but also have indirect influences on online purchase intentions through the mediation of attitudes. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected via questionnaires from customers of the leading internet service provider (ISP) in Taiwan. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to examine the model. Findings – The influences of personal innovativeness and perceived usefulness on attitudes and online purchase intentions are similar for males and females. The influences of personal awareness of security on both attitudes and online purchase intentions are strong for males, while no such effects exist for females. The influences of perceived ease of purchasing on both attitudes and online purchase intentions are stronger for females than for males. Research limitations/implications – There are several limitations. For example, there may exist common method variance, and the generalisability of the findings might be limited. Besides, this study is using only one product category, and customers' online purchase intentions may be only partially reflected due to the investigation of self-reports. Practical implications – By learning gender differences, e-tailers and advertisers can better target right consumers and consequently foster more positive attitudes and online purchase intentions. Originality/value – This study presents a thorough understanding on a model of online purchase intentions, and how gender moderates several paths of the model.