Determinants of intention to use e-commerce in Saudi Arabia

This study investigates the key factors influencing intention to use e-commerce in an emerging market context, focusing on individuals residing in Saudi Arabia. A quantitative research approach was adopted, and data were collected using a structured questionnaire from 281 respondents through a convenience sampling technique. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling with SmartPLS to test the hypothesized relationships. The results revealed that attitude, subjective norms, self-efficacy, and trust all had significant positive effects on intention to use e-commerce. Moreover, trust in e-commerce was found to influence attitude, which in turn mediated the relationship between trust and intention, highlighting the importance of trust as both a direct and indirect driver of online purchasing behavior. The R-square values indicated that 47.9% of the variance in attitude and 65.4% of the variance in intention were explained by the model, confirming strong explanatory power. The study concludes that trust, confidence, social influence, and positive attitudes are crucial for enhancing consumers’ willingness to engage in e-commerce. The study delivers essential information which helps e-commerce companies and marketing professionals and government officials to enhance consumer trust and digital shopping experience and build favorable digital commerce attitudes in Saudi Arabia.