Effect of Perceived Ease of Use and Perceived Usefulness on Consumer Online Buying Behavior in Nigeria: The Moderating Role of Trust

Abstract

The electronic commerce (e-commerce) has shown an upward trend in Nigeria, providing online transaction platforms for both domestic and global markets which benefits businesses and consumers. A comprehensive understanding of how perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness influence online buying behaviour is essential for e-commerce marketers to gain a competitive advantage. Therefore, this study examines the effect of perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness on online buying behaviour among postgraduate students in ABU Zaria. The study used the partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) as a technique to run and analyse the data collected from DLC postgraduate students using a sample of 398 students. The findings of the study for the direct relationship showed that perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness in online buying behaviour were found to be positive and significant. Similarly, the findings for the indirect relationship that used trust as a moderator showed perceived ease of use not to be significant, while perceived usefulness was found to be significant in online buying behaviour. The study concludes that perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness are critical factors that make students engage in online buying behaviour. Thus, the study recommends that online vendors should emphasize the usefulness of the online shopping experience to customers by offering a range of benefits to customers such as convenience, easy payment options, quick and reliable delivery.