UTILITARIAN AND HEDONIC VALUE PERCEPTIONS AS DETERMINANTS OF ONLINE SHOPPING ADOPTION AMONG SEMI-URBAN CONSUMERS

Abstract

The expansion of online retailing into semi-urban markets has highlighted the need to understand the value-based factors that drive online shopping adoption beyond urban contexts. This study examines the influence of utilitarian and hedonic value perceptions on online shopping adoption among semi-urban consumers, with attitude toward online shopping serving as a mediating variable. Data were collected from 812 semi-urban consumers with prior online shopping experience using a structured questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis, multiple regression, and regression-based mediation analysis were employed to test the proposed relationships. The results indicate that both utilitarian and hedonic value perceptions significantly enhance consumers’ attitudes toward online shopping. Attitude toward online shopping, in turn, has a strong positive effect on online shopping adoption. Mediation analysis confirms that attitude partially mediates the relationships between value perceptions and adoption behavior, with utilitarian value exerting both direct and indirect effects, while hedonic value primarily influences adoption through attitude formation. The findings highlight the importance of integrating functional efficiency and experiential engagement in online retail strategies targeting semi-urban consumers. The study contributes to consumer behavior literature by offering a value-based explanation of online shopping adoption using transparent, non-SEM analytical techniques.