An empirical investigation of consumer perceptions of online shopping in an emerging economy

Purpose Emerging markets are showing rapid growth and retaining high potential for the adoption of e-commerce and online shopping. Among the many high potential markets in Asia–Pacific, Vietnam has had a rapid economic development with an average GDP growth rate of 6.19 percent for the last two decades. To tap the growing online market of Vietnam, the purpose of this paper is to draw on adoption theory and the technology acceptance model to investigate the interrelationships among consumer perceptions of web design, reliability, privacy and customer service and their effects on purchase intention. Design/methodology/approach Survey data were collected from 221 consumers in Vietnam. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. Findings Empirical findings show that consumer perception of web design is positively related to perceptions of reliability, privacy, customer service and purchase intention. Consumer perception of reliability is positively related to perception of customer service but not to purchase intention. Consumer perception of privacy is also positively related to perception of customer service but not to purchase intention. Finally, consumer perception of customer service is positively related to purchase intention. Originality/value This study provides empirical evidence to understand the consumer perceptions of online shopping in the specific context of Vietnam. Findings of this study will benefit future researchers who will study consumer behavior in the e-commerce B2C industry, particularly those who are interested in the expanding e-commerce market in Vietnam. Furthermore, this study provides empirical evidence to assist business managers of domestic and foreign firms to further understand Vietnamese consumers. Knowledge of consumer behavior from the specific culture of a developing country may assist business managers advance their decision-making quality in developing markets.