From brick-and-mortar stores to E-Commerce: assessing the determinants of E-Commerce adoption

The increased use of computers and faster Internet access has led to the emergence of a new form of buying and selling. E-commerce has become a rapidly growing phenomenon. Although numerous studies have been conducted to understand this trend, research on the involvement of university students in E-Commerce, particularly as online entrepreneurs, remains limited. This study was carried out to examine the current level of involvement of Malaysian undergraduate students as online traders and to investigate the influence of performance expectancy, perceived trust, and facilitating conditions on the adoption of e-commerce. The proposed conceptual model was based on the extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and further enhanced by incorporating facilitating conditions as an enabling factor. A total of 384 respondents were selected using a random sampling technique. Descriptive, correlational, and regression analyses were employed to analyse the data. The findings indicate that the use of E-Commerce among students is generally high, suggesting that many students engage in online businesses to generate additional income. The results also revealed that all independent variables have a positive influence on E-Commerce adoption, with perceived trust emerging as the most influential factor. The study implies that students should be provided with greater exposure to online business platforms through comprehensive entrepreneurial ecosystem initiatives that support and guide them in developing their entrepreneurial capabilities.