Mid Sweden University

The present research paper develops and examines an extended TAM explaining the customer acceptance of purchasing smartphone apps. The aim was to find out, which and to which extend factors are effecting the customer acceptance towards the use of purchasing smartphone apps. Additionally the relationship between customer acceptance and actual use was examined. The extended model was empirically tested on base of data collected from aninternational sample of consumers (N=232). Standard multiple regression was performed to examine the effects of the variables. 

Of the factors tested, attitude towards use showed the highest direct positive effect on the customer acceptance of purchasing smartphone apps, followed by perceived compatibility and perceived usefulness. Additionally perceived ease of use is an indirect effector. Effects of the other factors tested, such as perceived security, subjective norms and perceived playfulness were insignificant. While the extended TAM resulted to explain customer acceptance with 47%, a puzzling finding was the low explanatory power of customer acceptance for the actualuse of purchasing smartphone apps, with 11,9% only. The findings provide a foundation for an enhanced theory on m-commerce adoption with a focus on purchasing smartphone apps, as well as for the practical development of those applications.