Enjoyment vs. Utility: Drivers and Consequences of Consumer M-Commerce Motivations

Abstract

Mobile commerce (m-commerce) has grown over the years and today represents a promising channel for marketers. Nevertheless, it has not yet lived up to its full potential. Past research has mainly treated m-commerce as a predominantly utilitarian (i.e. functional and practical) way of shopping. Moving away from this uniquely utilitarian view of m-retailing, this study explores whether hedonic motivations (i.e. experience and enjoyment related) also play an important role in driving consumer m-commerce behaviour. We conceptualize consumers’ motivations as conditions that are a consequence of their regulatory orientations. The study proposes and empirically validates that prevention-oriented consumers (i.e. vigilant and conservative) are more likely to activate utilitarian motivations to use m-commerce, whereas promotion-oriented consumers (i.e. eager and risk-takers) are more likely to activate hedonic motivations to use m-commerce. The interplay between regulatory orientations and related motivations have direct consequences on consumers’ perceptions of value and trust toward m-commerce. More specifically, we show that hedonic motivations lead to higher value and trust for promotion-oriented individuals, and that utilitarian motivations lead to higher value and trust for prevention-oriented individuals. Moreover, both hedonic and utilitarian motivations are important determinants of trust and value for moderately prevention- and promotion-oriented individuals. Equipped with this knowledge, marketers can more efficiently cater to consumers’ motivations.