How different lifestyles affect value appraisals and purchase of ICT products: A comparative empirical study

Unlike traditional information technology products mainly used in business, many new information and communication technology (ICT) products have demonstrated attributes of consumer commodities. Therefore, existing technology acceptance models (TAM) may not be sufficient to predict the usage and purchase intention of these products. To address this gap, we aim to investigate how consumer lifestyle affects consumer adoption of new ICT products. We developed a lifestyle-oriented new ICT product adoption model for consumers, to reveal how lifestyle impacts consumer evaluation of product attributes and consequently impacts their usage intention and purchase intention of new ICT products. To test our research model and hypotheses, we conducted a questionnaire survey and used structural equation modelling based on data collected from 414 respondents. Results from the empirical investigation show that consumer lifestyle affects consumer adoption of new ICT products, partially through the value preferences they form towards new ICT products along a variety of product attributes including functional attributes, symbolic attributes and cost attributes. The present study contributes to the literature regarding adoption of ICT products by fostering an understanding of the effect of consumer lifestyle on consumer adoption of new ICT products.