Understanding consumers’ purchase intention towards online paid courses

Abstract

With the unprecedented development of information and communication technologies, online learning is increasingly seen as an important channel for knowledge acquisition. Although knowledge payment platforms have attracted a considerable number of consumers, little is known about the determinants of purchase intention of online learning consumers for online paid courses (OPCs). In this study, we identify the mechanism underlying online learning consumers’ purchase intentions towards online paid courses (OPCs) based on outcome expectation and trust. We further examine the antecedents of performance expectation and trust from a learning-oriented perspective. Results indicate that trust and performance expectation play positive roles in consumer purchase intention. Moreover, perceived lecturer expertise, prior learning experience, and personal trial experience are positively associated with trust and performance expectation, which in turn influence purchase intention towards OPCs. The data were collected using a questionnaire survey of 443 users of knowledge payment platforms, and the proposed model was analysed through structural equation modelling. This study enhances the theoretical understanding of why consumers purchase OPCs in the knowledge payment context. For information system practice, these findings provide new insights for managers on how to conduct knowledge product transactions effectively.