Comercio virtual y comportamiento del consumidor online en PYMEs

E-commerce has experienced significant growth following the COVID-19 pandemic, becoming a key channel for commercial interaction between businesses and consumers. Based on this premise, the present study aims to analyze the factors that influence online consumer behavior in small and medium-sized enterprises within the Metropolitan District of Quito. The research follows a non-experimental, across-sectional design with a quantitative approach. Drawing on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), a survey was conducted with 389 digital consumers. The results, analyzed using structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), indicate that perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and social influence significantly affect the intention to use e-commerce platforms. Only perceived security has an impact on both the intention to use and the actual use of e-commerce. Habit, as a moderating variable, did not exhibit a statistically significant effect.