THE INTEGRATION OF PERCEIVED PRIVACY TO UTAUT2: THE MODERATING ROLE OF E-WOM ON BEHAVIOR AND USE INTENTION OF SOCIAL COMMERCE

Abstract

This study explores the factors influencing behavioral intention and actual usage of social commerce applications by extending the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2) with perceived privacy and e-word of mouth. Ten hypotheses were tested using Partial Least Squares (PLS) with a bootstrapping procedure of 5,000 resamples.

Findings indicate that performance expectancy (H1), effort expectancy (H2), social influence (H3), hedonic motivation (H5), and habit (H7) were not supported, showing that low utility, ease of use, social persuasion, enjoyment, and habitual behavior discourage adoption. In contrast, facilitating conditions (H4), price value (H6), perceived privacy (H8), and behavioral intention (H9) were significant predictors. These results highlight the importance of access to smartphones and internet connectivity, the perceived value relative to cost, and the assurance of privacy in shaping adoption decisions. Behavioral intention also strongly influenced actual usage, consistent with prior technology adoption studies.

Moreover, Hypothesis 10 was supported, as e-word of mouth significantly strengthened the relationship between behavioral intention and actual usage (p = 0.000). Overall, the study advances theoretical understanding of social commerce adoption and provides practical insights for developers and marketers to design strategies that enhance trust, value, and user engagement.