Factors Affecting Social Commerce Web Sites Usage: An Integrated View

Abstract

Commercial activities done through the medium of Internet took a paradigm shift with the introduction of web 2.0. Ecommerce was the first of its generation and followed by social commerce which used social networking platforms as the base for commercial activities. Identifying the factors influencing social commerce usage enable organizations to earn more revenue by investing more on improving those factors. Hence, the purpose of this study was to identify the factors affecting social commerce website usage in the context of Sri Lanka. A conceptual model was developed based on an extensive review of literature. The conceptual model was tested using one hundred and sixty usable responses from postgraduate students. Partial Least Square (PLS) method was used to test the model. Measurement model analysis was used to test the reliability and validity of the measurement instrument. Structural model analysis was used to test the model fit and to test the hypotheses. The results of structural model analysis supported six hypotheses. Perceived usefulness and trust toward members were identified as the most significant factors for social commerce website usage. The findings of this study provided important implications for researchers and practitioners interested in social commerce.