Factors affecting behavioral intention to use internet consumer credit services: Case of young adults in China

The internet consumer credit industry has entered a stage of standardized development in China, and many internet consumer credit services have been widely adopted by consumers in recent years. This paper investigated the factors that influence young consumers' behavioral intention to use internet consumer credit services when presented with several highly homogeneity options. A theoretical research framework was built based on the theory of perceived value and the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Multiple regression analysis was then used to examine the hypotheses. Results indicate that perceived value and switching costs have a significant positive impact on consumers’ behavioral intention to use an internet consumer credit service, while perceived cost has a statistically significant negative impact. However, contrary to our expectation, subjective norm does not significant effect on perceived value. The findings suggested that improving consumer education for young adults is paramount. • Insights into Consumption Attitudes : The study reveals how consumption attitudes, risk tolerance, and credit knowledge affect internet consumer credit use. • Contributions to Perceived Value : The study confirms the impact of perceived quality and social norms in shaping perceived value, with new insights on perceived risk. • Empirical Study on Subjective Norm: The study expands our understanding of how subjective norm influence behavioral intention, revealing key inconsistencies. • Enhanced Understanding of Switching Costs: The study introduces the loss of potential benefits to financial switching costs, adding a new research dimension. • Call for Consumer Education : This study highlights the need for consumer education to promote responsible credit use, especially among young adults.