Age and gender differences: Understanding mature online users with the online purchase intention model

Abstract

This study examines how demographic factors and different antecedents of mature online users relate to their purchase intention. Results obtained from a survey of about 400 respondents in Hong Kong and analyzed with a structural equation model indicate that security has a direct relationship only with purchase intention, whereas attitude is linked with innovativeness, usefulness, ease of purchase and online purchase intention, and attitude performs full mediation between usefulness and online purchase intention. Users aged 41–50 have a higher perceived ease of purchasing than older users (aged 51–70), and males have stronger personal innovativeness and perceived usefulness than females. This research makes a contribution to the understanding of mature users’ online purchase intention; it also provides significant implications of segmentation and marketing strategies and supports the view that online marketers should formulate different strategies to enhance mature users’ online experience and treat various kinds of users differently.