An Empirical Investigation to Validate the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) in Explaining Intentions to Shop Online in Saudi Arabia using SEM

Abstract

This study uses structural equation modeling (SEM) to investigate how theoretically applicable the technology acceptance model (TAM) in an online shopping context in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Three hundred and twenty-two subjects participated in a pre-piloted questionnaire survey that was created using existing scales from prior TAM instruments, which were modified when appropriate. Response rate was 96.2%. Our findings showed that our model is able to create an understanding that is better than the original online shopping intention model. Our results also showed that direct paths from bother perceived usefulness additional perceived ease of use to online shopping intentions would help to improve the model's predictive power and would improve fit more than the original TAM model would. The model explains 81 percent of Saudi consumers' intentions to continue shopping online and can be generalized across Riyadh.

Keywords: Usefulness, Ease of use, Attitude, TAM, SEM, KSA