Who are the users of mobile coupons? A profile of US consumers

Purpose – Mobile coupons are a new form of marketing that is expected to grow in the near future. The purpose of this paper is to understand mobile coupon adoptions among US consumers. The study identifies adopter categories based on personal innovativeness and further investigates the characteristics that distinguish identified adopter categories. Design/methodology/approach – Based on innovation diffusion theory and technology acceptance model, consumers are clustered to adopter categories. The distinctiveness of adopter categories in terms of perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitude, behavioral intention, and actual use of mobile coupons were investigated. Determinants of adoption decision were compared among adopter categories. A cluster analysis, Kruskal‐Wallis tests, and regression analyses were performed. Findings – An online survey of 611 US consumers confirmed the viability of consumer adopter categories. Perceived usefulness, attitudes and behavioral intentions were significantly different across adopter categories while perceived ease of use was not. Adopter categories have different antecedents that determine mobile coupon adoption. Research limitations/implications – The current study contributes to the literature of diffusion of innovation and consumer segmentation by identifying four consumer adopter groups with PIIT (Personal Innovativeness in the domain of Information Technology). Practical implications – The study presented a snapshot of mobile coupon usage in the USA. By distinguishing the adopter categories and their characteristics, the study provides important practical implications for mobile marketers to tailor mobile marketing strategies to different adopter categories. Originality/value – The current study fill the gap in the literature by investigating the current status of mobile coupon adoption in the USA, identifying adopter categories, and comparing the behaviors, beliefs, and attitudes related to mobile coupon adoption across the adopter categories.