Understanding users’ acceptance of chatbots: an extended TAM approach

Roberta De Cicco*, Serena Iacobucci, Antonio Aquino, Francesca Romana Alparone, Riccardo Palumbo

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

23 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Chatbots represent a viable interaction layer between online retailers and customers, however, when it comes to online purchases in the form of conversational commerce, customers’ resistance could turn out to be a big challenge for marketers. This study provides a deeper understanding of how consumers perceive chatbots and their intention to use them for online purchases. Based on an extended Technology Acceptance Model, the study examines whether and how the original TAM’s exogenous constructs combined with trust, compatibility, and perceived enjoyment predict a positive attitude and, consequently, a higher intention to use chatbots for online shopping. A total of 208 respondents participated in an online survey and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM-PLS) was applied to test the hypotheses. Moreover, a qualitative textual analysis of participants’ answers was performed to dig deeper into users’ motives for developing positive, neutral/ambivalent, or negative attitudes toward the chatbot. In doing so, the study provides useful information to online businesses in electronic retail activities, as the results highlight the importance of designing chatbots that fit both consumer’s cognitive needs and affective desires.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationChatbot Research and Design - 5th International Workshop, CONVERSATIONS 2021, Revised Selected Papers
EditorsAsbjørn Følstad, Theo Araujo, Symeon Papadopoulos, Effie L.-C. Law, Ewa Luger, Morten Goodwin, Petter Bae Brandtzaeg
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH
Pages3-22
Number of pages20
ISBN (Print)9783030948894
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Apr 2022
Externally publishedYes
Event5th International Workshop on Chatbot Research and Design, CONVERSATIONS 2021 - Virtual, Online
Duration: 23 Nov 202124 Nov 2021

Publication series

NameLecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)
Volume13171 LNCS
ISSN (Print)0302-9743
ISSN (Electronic)1611-3349

Conference

Conference5th International Workshop on Chatbot Research and Design, CONVERSATIONS 2021
CityVirtual, Online
Period23/11/2124/11/21

Keywords

  • Chatbots
  • Compatibility
  • Conversational commerce
  • Perceived enjoyment
  • TAM
  • Textual analysis
  • Trust

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