Consumer Decision-Making: Critical Factors for M-Commerce

This study compares consumer decision-making experiences across three channels (i.e., m-commerce, e-commerce, in-store), identifies factors affecting consumer decision-making that are unique to a specific channel as well as those that are common across the three channels, and suggests a model for intention to use m-commerce. Cognitive cost, expectation-confirmation theory, theory of reasoned action and technology acceptance model are used to formulate propositions. E-mail messages sent by the participants after undertaking a decision-making task on a channel are analyzed using Critical Incident Technique (CIT). Study findings suggest that decision-making in m-commerce is perceived as stressful and is not necessarily a positive one. Findings further suggest that participants in m-commerce hold their prior experiences in e-commerce as points-of-reference to which they compare subsequent decision-making experiences. Findings also reveal factors that affect consumer decision-making experience negatively on m-commerce. The article concludes with managerial and theoretical implications and directions for future research