Applying the Technology Acceptance Model to Explore the Cambodian Consumer’s Intention to Purchase Beauty and Personal Care Products Online

Abstract

This study aims to study applying the technology acceptance model to explore the Cambodian consumer’s intention to purchase beauty and personal care products online. The Technology Acceptance Model (perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use) was used as the base of the conceptual framework. The researcher added two more independent variables: perceived risk and perceived value following previous research. Online trust was considered as a mediator variable between independent variables (perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived risk, and perceived value) and dependent variable (intention to purchase). The scope is aged at least 18 years, having experience purchasing beauty and personal care products online, living in Phnom Penh. The sample size was 385 samples. The online survey of the questionnaire was made through Google Forms. The questionnaire was posted and shared via social media such as Facebook status in public, messenger, and public groups of Telegram with the help of a Cambodian research assistant. The path analysis using SPSS AMOS 23 was utilized to analyze the data. The data was cleaned using univariate and multivariate analysis. Then, data was used to find reliability, validity, and correlation. Afterward, the researcher analyzed data to demographic information of respondents. Finally, the researcher used path analysis to find the relationship between variables. The result found that perceived usefulness, perceived value, and online trust had a positive relationship with intention to purchase. Perceived ease of use had a positive relationship with perceived usefulness. The result also showed an insignificant relationship. Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and perceived risk were not significant with online trust. In conclusion, the researcher suggested that perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness are needed for technology adoption for beauty and personal care products online. Perceived value was essential to encourage online trust and intention to purchase beauty and personal care products online in Cambodia. Online trust was a mediator with a medium effect size between perceived value and intention to purchase.