An analysis of the Impact of Text-based AI Chatbot on Consumer Purchase Intentions in Online Shopping Platforms

Abstract

Background and Aim: The rapid development of digital technology and the widespread use of the internet were emphasized, leading to a profound transformation in traditional consumer markets. Online shopping, as an emerging consumption method, has become a crucial component of modern society. E-commerce platforms, serving as key connection points between consumers and products, directly influence consumer shopping behavior, especially in terms of purchase intention. With the increasing number of online platform users and diverse service demands, traditional manual customer service faces numerous challenges, such as long response times, high costs, and inconsistent service quality. Therefore, text-based intelligent customer service systems, as an emerging solution, have gained growing attention. Based on the Technology Acceptance Model, Social Presence Theory, and Stimulus Organism Response, there is much research on the impact of intelligent customer service systems on user experience and satisfaction. Limited research exists on an in-depth exploration of how the systems specifically influence the consumer's purchasing decision-making process. This study investigates how text-based intelligent customer service systems influence consumer purchase intentions on e-commerce platforms. Materials and Methods: This research is a quantitative design using a questionnaire to collect data from the users of e-commerce platforms, aged 18 and above, who have had online shopping experiences in the past six months. The survey questionnaires were distributed offline to the target population. The study was conducted through the collection of raw data, utilizing a quantitative research approach. Descriptive statistics, such as percentages, frequencies, mean scores, and standard deviations of responses to Likert scale items, were employed to summarize and interpret the data. Furthermore, Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was utilized to examine the relationships among variables, test the hypotheses, and analyze mediation effects. This methodological approach ensured a rigorous and comprehensive analysis of the data, providing robust insights into the research questions. Results: Perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, social presence and positive emotional connection significantly and positively impact the purchase intention. Perceived trust and information quality have already played a mediating role in increasing purchase intention. Conclusion: By incorporating this perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, social presence, positive emotional connection, perceived trust, and information quality-intelligent customer service designs can significantly improve consumer purchase intentions. This study offers valuable insights for the intelligent customer service design industry. This study has created a new theoretical framework and provided new marketing methods for e-commerce platforms, which can effectively promote the purchase intention.