Rethinking Consumer Behavior in a Technologically Evolving World

Today's society has rapidly become accustomed to a vast array of technological advances. Our society is entering a technology era in which our lives are becoming digital. We make purchases of goods or services and conduct financial transfers with electronic devices (e.g., smartphones and tablets). This dissertation studies how new technologies (i.e., mobile payments and touchscreen) affect consumer behavior across three essays. More specifically, Essay 1 investigates the relationship between payment methods (i.e., cash, credit cards, and mobile payments) and spending behavior. Prior research on this topic has shown that credit cards increase spending behavior as measured by the willingness to pay or basket value, which we define as the credit card effect. We explore whether the credit card effect can be replicated and whether this effect can be extended to mobile payments. Essay 2 examines the adoption of mobile payments by introducing individual differences and cultural factors into the technology acceptance model. We conduct this exploration in three different countries: China, the U.S., and Belgium, with the aim to better understand the differences in determining factors that affect the adoption of mobile payments across three countries. Essay 3 explores how a touchscreen interface versus a mouse interface affects subsequent consumption of hedonic food. By doing so, Essay 3 aims to help consumers enhance their resistance to temptations in today's digital world.

Jaar van publicatie:2021

Toegankelijkheid:Open