Insight into Dubai’s Generation Y Online Shopping Behaviour: Exploring the Limitations of the Technology Acceptance Model with the Digital Natives

This research paper aims to expand the theory of Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to study Dubai’s Generation Y’s intention to shop online. The paper presents the results of a series of interviews and explores the relevance of the constructs suggested by this theory for online shopping behaviour of this segment in Dubai. The findings of this research show various similarities and contrasts with previous studies using Technology Acceptance Model in the context of E-Commerce. Similarities include participants agreeing that usefulness of online shopping has a major role in their intention to shop online. In contrast with previous studies, where Ease-of-Use and Enjoyment are major contributors to consumer’s intention to shop online, our study shows that Generation Y participants were not concerned about Ease-of-Use or Enjoyment at all. In fact, the interviewee responses revealed a need for adding newer factors to the framework, situational factors such as consumers not being a debit or credit card holder and locational factors that suggest how having shopping malls within the reach of consumer’s can also affect their online shopping intentions.