Playfulness as a key driver of behavioral intention in fashion mobile commerce

The rapid growth of mobile commerce (m-commerce) is reshaping the fashion industry, emphasizing the role of user experience in influencing consumer behavior. Although m-commerce adoption has received increasing scholarly attention, limited research has examined the hedonic and experiential dimensions that distinguish fashion consumption from other retail contexts. This study addresses this gap by investigating how the hedonic motivation of playfulness influences behavioral intention and user engagement in fashion m-commerce. An extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model was tested by incorporating playfulness as an exogenous construct. Data were collected from 288 users through a structured survey and analyzed using covariance-based structural equation modeling. Results indicate that perceived playfulness is the strongest predictor of behavioral intention, surpassing effort expectancy and social influence, while partially mediating the effect of effort expectancy. Accordingly, performance expectancy was excluded due to its limited relevance in the fashion m-commerce context. The study extends UTAUT by integrating intrinsic motivational factors, enhancing its explanatory power in experiential digital environments. From a managerial perspective, investments in playful, interactive, and visually appealing mobile interfaces can foster engagement, increase conversion rates, and strengthen customer loyalty, offering a sustainable competitive advantage in the global fashion market.