An experimental based investigation into the effects of website interactivity on customer behavior in on-line purchase context

Online sales continue to grow in recent years, and so competition is increasing in the online retail industry. Website interactivity might play a crucial role in enhancing consumer perceptions, attitudes, and responses to retail websites. The purpose of this study is to propose an integrated conceptual model with the underpinnings of technology acceptance model (TAM) to demonstrate how the experiential context of website interactivity of online retail stores affect customer responses to online retailers. This study explores the effects of website interactivity on online consumers' perceptions of online retail sites using laboratory-based experiments (semi-online field experiments). A 2 × 2 between subject experimental design was conducted among 295 students from a major university in Australia. The results showed website interactivity enhances customer perceptions of usefulness and ease of using retail websites. Perceived usefulness (PU) of a website enhances intention to purchase and this influence is moderated by customer involvement in online shopping. Interestingly, the ad hoc test results indicate that the effects of involvement in online shopping on PU purchase intention link is high at high website-interactivity level. These findings contribute to the literature on online retailing and consumer behaviour in an online context.