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Factors governing e-commerce service adoption

It is useful for digital business managers to understand the different factors that affect how 

many people actively use the Internet, so that action can be taken to overcome some of these 

barriers. For example, marketing communications can be used to reduce fears about the 

value proposition, ease of use and security. Chaffey et al. (2009) suggest that the following 

factors are important in governing adoption of any e-commerce service:

1 

Cost of access. This is certainly a barrier for those who do not already own a home computer. 

The other main costs are the cost of using an ISP to connect to the Internet and the cost of 

using the media to connect. Free access would certainly increase adoption and usage.

Malware

Malicious software 

or toolbar, typically 

downloaded via the 

Internet, which acts 

as a ‘trojan horse’ by 

executing unwanted 

activities such as 

keylogging of user 

passwords or viruses 

which may collect email 

addresses.

Behavioural ad 

targeting

Advertisers target ads 

at a visitor as they move 

within or between sites 

dependent on their 

viewing particular sites 

or types of content that 

indicate their preferences.

Social and legal factors

Activity 4.2

Understanding enablers and barriers to consumer adoption

Purpose

To identify reasons why businesses or consumers may be encouraged online 

or may resist.

Activity

Access a recent survey of attitudes to the Internet in your country. In particular, you 

should concentrate on reasons why customers have used the Internet or have not 

used the Internet at all. Figure 4.2 gives an example for 27 countries in the EU27 in 

Europe. Note that different activities such as posting updates to social media vary 

significantly by age, although we see the Internet as ubiquitous.

It’s not practical to present the latest data from all countries, so please access 

the latest data using this compilation of 10 key research resources about the Internet 

and technology adoption which we have prepared at www.smartinsights.com/

digital‑marketing‑statistics.

Questions

1 

Summarise and explain the reasons for the levels of usage of the medium for differ‑

ent activities.

2 

What are the main enablers and barriers to higher levels of adoption of these differ‑

ent activities and which actions should organisations take to increase adoption?

Alternatively, devise an ad hoc survey to investigate attitudes to, and use of, the Internet 

using friends, family or classmates as respondents. Example questions might include 

the following: What have you bought online? If nothing, why not? How many hours do 

you spend online each month? How many emails do you receive or send? What stops 

you using the Internet more? What aspects of the Internet are you concerned about?

Answers to activities can be found at www.pearsoned.co.uk/chaffey

visit the  

www

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