PurposeFor a new technology‐based product or service at an early stage of diffusion, it is likely that only a small subset of consumers have adopted it. When non‐adopters still comprise the majority of the target populations, describing all non‐adopters as a homogeneous population may be inaccurate and inappropriate. It is important to be able to identify differences, not only between adopters and non‐adopters, but also among non‐adopters, the latter providing a means of identifying the consumer segments likely to be profitable in the future. The first objective of this paper is to demonstrate the appropriateness of further segmenting the non‐adopter category based on motivations (intentions) to adopt internet‐banking by those who are “persistent non‐adopters” and those who are likely “prospective adopters”. The second objective of this paper is to further the understanding of the adoption process of internet banking by examining a range of diffusion factors that affect consumers’ adoption behavior.Design/methodology/approachThis study identifies three adopter segments, persistent non‐adopters, prospective adopters, and adopters, in the diffusion of internet banking services based on individuals’ intentions to adopt internet banking and their actual adoption behavior, using the data collected by the Graphic, Visualization, & Usability Center and Georgia Tech Research Corporation. Selective adoption factors (i.e. perceived attribute importance of internet banking, perceived risk, compatibility with existing banking services, and compatibility with the internet and computer technologies) were used to predict individuals’ adoption status through multinomial logit modeling.FindingsIt was found that further segmenting the non‐adopter category revealed meaningful differences between prospective adopters and persistent non‐adopters. This study reflects that the previous research practice of bifurcating adoption categories (adoption versus non‐adoption) is oversimplified. The two qualitatively different segments, prospective adopters and persistent non‐adopters, should not be lumped together in the diffusion of internet banking.Originality/valueThis study provides comparison profiles of the three adopter categories and discusses marketing implications for segmentation.

This paper investigates consumers' use of store-issued credit cards with particular attention to their function as an alternative payment and financing medium. Using 1998 Survey of Consumer Finances data, the researchers found that credit availability through bankcards is negatively correlated with consumers' use of store cards as a financing medium, suggesting the role of store cards as a supplementary credit line. A negative relationship is also found to exist between consumers' bankcard usage and their use of store cards for a transaction purpose, indicating that store cards function as a substitute payment medium. Consumers' usage of store cards varies according to function and is related to a number of variables, including the use of bank cards, credit history, attitude toward credit, income, education, and ethnicity.

Understanding motivations of multichannel shoppers is critical for retailers, especially in terms of how retailers can best attract shoppers to and orient shoppers across different channel options. Our study thus seeks to understand multichannel shopping through nontraditional retail formats by studying the effects of shoppers' hedonic and utilitarian motives. We used the theory of variety-seeking behavior for conceptualization, and analyzed data from a large-scale U.S. consumer survey. Our findings suggest that both hedonic and utilitarian factors are important predictors of multichannel shopping. Hedonic motivations have more explanatory power for high-level multichannel shopping than for moderate-level multichannel shopping, as compared to non-multichannel shopping.

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Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of perceived product characteristics (i.e. involvement, product type, and switching cost) and consumer value consciousness on private brand purchase intent. Design/methodology/approach -A college student sample was surveyed to measure product characteristic perceptions for six product categories and to evaluate private brand purchase intent. Analysis of covariance was conducted for hypothesis testing. Findings -Support existed for the significant effects of all three product characteristics on the intent to purchase private brands. A moderating effect by value consciousness on the product type (search versus experience) emerged. Practical implications -It is critical that retailers identify appropriate product categories as they develop private brands. Private brand marketing strategies should be designed to reduce the level of product involvement and switching cost, and to increase consumer perception of search properties. Originality/value -The research is one of the few studies to test the effects of product characteristics extensively and to provide related marketing implications.

This study explores the three major consumer characteristics that underlie the use of Internet dating services: self-esteem, involvement in romantic relationships, and sociability. A significant three-way interaction effect among these factors emerged. Among sociable people, individuals with high self-esteem are more likely to use Internet dating services than are those with low self-esteem when they are highly involved in romantic relationships. The opposite pattern was revealed for sociable people, however, when they are less involved in romantic relationships. That is, individuals with low self-esteem used Internet dating services more often than did those with high self-esteem when romantic relationships were not important. The implications for academic researchers and practitioners are discussed.

Consumers’ concerns about payment security have been recognized as an obstacle to the growth of Internet shopping. The purpose of our study was to investigate the influence of payment security concerns on Internet purchases. We proposed that consumers’ concerns about payment security mediate the relationship between attitude toward Internet shopping and actual purchases. Using data from the Georgia Institute of Technology Graphics Visualization and Usability Center’s 10th WWW User Survey, we found empirical evidence supporting the mediating relationship. Attitude toward Internet shopping was found to be negatively related to security concerns, and security concerns were found to be negatively related to Internet purchases. Furthermore, it was found that providing alternative off-line payment methods reduces security concerns and therefore promotes on-line purchases. Limitations on generalizing the findings were discussed.

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