Online Flow Conditions Scale data

Mobile retail plays a crucial role in global economies. Drawing on Csikszentmihalyi’s Flow Theory, this study examines shopping applications to assess the online conditions that promote the flow state during mobile commerce. While the cognitive state of flow has been extensively studied, specific conditions influencing it – such as the balance between task demands and user skills, goal clarity, and feedback types – remain underexplored in the context of information systems. This research addresses these gaps by developing a standardized scale based on a systematic literature review and multidimensional item response theory (MIRT) to measure these latent attributes across 200 shopping apps from Brazil and Spain. The resulting three-dimensional scale, composed of sixteen statistically validated items, was confirmed through confirmatory factor analysis and MIRT modeling. Results show that Spanish apps excel in the Clear Goals dimension, reflecting well-organized layouts. In contrast, Brazilian apps perform better in the Demand-Skill Balance and Immediate Feedback dimensions, focusing on personalized interfaces and prompt interactions. These findings offer valuable insights for designing effective online shopping environments, enhancing user experience, and providing managers with actionable guidance for optimizing flow conditions within their applications.