Requirements for Personalized m-Commerce: What Drives Consumers’ Use of Social Networks?

Mobile devices are used to initiate shopping or enhance traditional shopping experiences. The integration of m-commerce with social networking sites enables marketers to provide really personalized offers to customers. The basis for that is an in-depth understanding of customers’ needs and expectations which can be analyzed on social networking sites due to their explicit and implicit presentation of the customers’ context and needs as well as due to their rising popularity. This study investigates the reasons for customers to use online social networks, using the example of Facebook. For that purpose, a structural equation model with formative constructs is developed and tested against data from young Facebook users. The authors’ results show that subjective norm might show no direct effect but, however, it has a large influence which occurs indirectly via perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment. Additionally, the authors reveal that drivers for the usage intention of social networks show major differences between men and women.