The Potential Benefits of Offering Suitable Mobile Commerce Experience to Your Customers: An Abstract

Mobile devices have become increasingly popular in recent decades: It is estimated that there are more mobile devices than individuals around the world. Individuals spend considerably more time on their smartphones than on their computers; however, m-commerce (i.e. purchase of goods or services through a mobile device) represents only 11.6% of the total e-commerce market in the USA. To design more effective m-commerce environments, marketers must fully understand which consumer motivations drive value perceptions. This study investigates the role of consumers’ hedonic (e.g. fun and enjoyment) and utilitarian (e.g. instrumental and functional) motivations on perceived trust and value. In line with the regulatory fit theory, promotion-oriented consumers (e.g. eager and aspirational) appear more likely to use m-commerce because of hedonic motivations, whereas prevention-oriented consumers (e.g. vigilant and risk-averse) appear more likely to use m-commerce because of utilitarian motivations. This effect is the result of the fit experience (i.e. enhanced engagement and a ‘feels right’ sentiment) that leads to increased perceptions of trust and value. These results offer invaluable insights to marketers, who, due to mobile devices’ reduced screen sizes, must carefully select which content and design elements to use in their m-commerce environments to deliver valuable, trustworthy and engaging solutions.