Exploring Consumers’ Response to Text-Based Chatbots in E-commerce: The Moderating Role of Task Complexity and Chatbot Disclosure
Cheng, X., Bao, Y., Zarifis, A., Gong, W. & Mou, J. (2021) ‘Exploring consumers' response to text-based chatbots in e-commerce: The moderating role of task complexity and chatbot disclosure’, Internet Research. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1108/INTR-08-2020-0460
22 Pages Posted: 19 Aug 2021
Date Written: August 17, 2021
Abstract
Purpose – Artificial intelligence (AI)-based chatbots have brought unprecedented business potential. This study aims to explore consumers’ trust and response to a text-based chatbot in e-commerce, involving the moderating effects of task complexity and chatbot identity disclosure.
Design/methodology/approach – A survey method with 299 useable responses was conducted in this research. This study adopted the ordinary least squares regression to test the hypotheses.
Findings – First, the consumers’ perception of both the empathy and friendliness of the chatbot positively impacts their trust in it. Second, task complexity negatively moderates the relationship between friendliness and consumers’ trust. Third, disclosure of the text-based chatbot negatively moderates the relationship between empathy and consumers’ trust, while it positively moderates the relationship between friendliness and consumers’ trust. Fourth, consumers’ trust in the chatbot increases their reliance on the chatbot and decreases their resistance to the chatbot in future interactions.
Research limitations/implications – Adopting the stimulus–organism–response (SOR) framework, this study provides important insights on consumers’ perception and response to the text-based chatbot. The findings of this research also make suggestions that can increase consumers’ positive responses to text-based chatbots.
Originality/value – Extant studies have investigated the effects of automated bots’ attributes on consumers’ perceptions. However, the boundary conditions of these effects are largely ignored. This research is one of the first attempts to provide a deep understanding of consumers’ responses to a chatbot.
Keywords: Text-based chatbot, Trust, Consumers’ response, Task complexity, Identity disclosure
JEL Classification: M15, M3, M37, M1
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation