Consumer Opportunity, Ability and Motivation as a Framework for Electronic Market Research

Past research has focused on transaction cost economics as a framework for electronic market (e-market) research. This takes a simplistic view of consumers as economic agents whose primary decision-making criterion is the minimization of transaction costs. We propose that the factors that potentially determine e-market success or failure can be better identified using the Ability–Motivation–Opportunity framework from consumer behavior. This looks at additional factors not considered by transaction cost-based research and takes a less simplistic view of consumers. We hypothesize that factors that increase consumers’ opportunity to participate in e-markets, their ability to do so, and their motivation to purchase through the on-line channel, will determine the ultimate success of e-markets. This provides a new direction for electronic market research.