Psychological antecedents of mobile consumer behaviour and implications for customer journeys in tourism

Abstract

As online activities increasingly shift to mobile devices, organizations especially in tourism must understand which factors drive and inhibit mobile consumer behaviour, if they want to remain competitive. Thus, this paper analyses the effects of psychological factors on mobile consumer behaviour. Drawing on multiple established theories, four psychological factors are identified: (1) smartphone self-efficacy, (2) mobile-specific innovativeness, (3) mobile users’ information privacy concerns, and (4) personal attachment to smartphone. Using a structural equation modeling approach with a large-scale consumer sample, the effects of these factors on two fundamental types of mobile consumer behaviour are analysed: behaviour along the mobile customer journey and consumers’ willingness to disclose personal data in return for personalized mobile experiences. The results confirm the relevance of the identified factors for mobile consumer behaviour. These findings have several implications for the design and management of mobile touch points in tourism.