Exploring the barriers of consumer purchasing in M-commerce : A Qualitative Study

Abstract: Purpose: Explore the external and internal barriers preventing consumer purchases in M- commerce. Research Questions:RQ1: What are the external barriers that prevent consumer purchases on smartphones?RQ2: What are the internal barriers that prevent consumer purchases on smartphones? Methodology: This thesis is a qualitative study using an exploratory purpose and used a cross- sectional strategy collecting data through two focus groups. Conclusion: There are existing external barriers in M-commerce that consist of; unadjusted webpages for the smartphone, small screen size, and inconvenient internet connection. Along with that, internal barriers consist of; the inability to complete a task efficiently, consumers’ motivation to use the smartphone other than purchasing, technology perceived as difficult, security concerns and lack of trust, and finally the lack of skill. Thus, the findings of this thesis explored how these factors prevent consumer purchasing in M-commerce. Theoretical contributions/limitations/future research: The key contributions of this thesis is in the field of M-commerce. More specifically, dividing the barriers of purchasing in M-commerce into two categories, external and internal barriers, which has not been studied before. Since this thesis used an exploratory purpose, the subjective nature therefore has implications affecting its validity and reliability resulting in lower levels of generalizability and replication. Along with this, the language barriers in the focus groups may have had an effect on the results. A suggestion for future research is to focus on the relationship between the external and internal barriers in M-commerce rather than distinguishing them. Future research could also consist of identifying other approaches of the barriers in M-commerce.