Personal values as determinants of intentions to use self-service technology in retailing

The current study examines personal values and consumer traits as antecedents of attitudes toward using self-service technologies (SSTs), which, in turn, affect intentions to use SSTs. The specific SST selected for this study is a self-checkout system for grocery retailers. This study used a panel database and collected data using a self-administered online survey. The results of this study highlight the important role of consumer traits as an additional contributing factor in explaining how personal values lead to SST usage intentions. Although this study partially confirms the direct effects of personal values on attitudes, it shows that utilitarian and hedonic attitudes toward using SSTs are determined by personal values through the consumer traits (i.e.; need for human interaction and SST self-efficacy). Lastly, this study reveals that only utilitarian attitudes have a significant effect on the intention to use SSTs. Findings from this study not only fill the gap in the literature, but also provide retailers, marketers, and SST business personnel with comprehensive insight into consumers' underlying needs and desires that prompt them to use SSTs. In particular, this study contributes to the existing literature by examining an extended value-attitude-behavior model with an additional variable, namely consumer traits.