Why consumer characteristics have an impact on attitude

Abstract

As an ever growing distribution channel for services, the Internet is becoming a potential competitive advantage for providers of services. While success can give access to a large number of online shoppers, the amount of service failures are extensive. Finding the key to provide service excellence on the Internet can make the difference between success and failure to the provider. This article maps the determinants of attitude towards online providers. It distinguishes three kinds of service provider characteristics: "usefulness", "ease of use" and "enjoyment", and how they affect consumer's attitude towards the provider. One of the contributions to the technology acceptance model by Davis et al (1989), is the introduction of consumers' cognitive processing as a moderating variable, and the use of "consumer characteristics" and "online shopping experience" as determinants for "cognitive processing".