Examining the factors influencing the adoption of web-based ticketing: Etix and its adopters

This paper examines the case of the consumer adoption of an air travel service innovation, namely delivering electronic tickets (Etix) for air travel, which may be viewed as an innovation in service delivery. The qualitative study reported here adopted Rogers' model of perceived innovation attributes and was augmented by Bauer's framework of perceived risk. Participants in focus groups were categorised according to their attitudes towards buying electronic tickets for air travel through the Internet. The perceived innovation attributes were identified to be significant determinants of consumers' adoption decisions and practices. In addition, two more dimensions were found to influence consumers' adoption decisions, stressing the high complexity of the adoption decisions for Internet-based air travel ticketing innovations. The findings have practical value for organisations in the air travel sector as well as for traditional travel agents and Global Distribution Systems (GDSs).