Mobile Shopping Convenience as a Second-Order Formative Construct: A Study of the Utilitarian Behavior in Malaysia

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of a multidimensional second-order formative convenience construct on the mobile shopping attitude and intention of customers. We examine the literature regarding multidimensional service convenience, utilitarian attitude, and mobile shopping convenience. The focus of this study is on validating the multidimensional second-order formative construct of convenience, specifically within the context of mobile shopping. The dimensions of convenience provide a validated scale for evaluating mobile-based online shopping convenience. This paper proposes an alternative model to investigate the effect of convenience on the mobile shopping attitude and intention of customers. A survey of 325 valid Malaysian respondents was obtained using a 6-point Likert questionnaire survey. In the first stage, the data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). We assess five distinct dimensions of mobile shopping. A second stage analysis of mobile shopping convenience is examined and found to positively affect mobile shopping utilitarian attitude, which subsequently positively affects mobile shopping intention. The study supports the view that service convenience in the mobile shopping context may validly be conceptualized as a second-order formative construct. Online shopping retailers can utilize the five-factor dimensions of mobile shopping convenience to measure customers’ perceptions of their mobile shopping platforms. This approach would aid managers and retailers in recognizing and coping with critical barriers that prevent mobile shopping platforms from delivering highly convenient mobile shopping experiences to customers.