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

The rise of mobile commerce (m-commerce) is transforming the fashion industry, highlighting the need for engaging user experiences to influence consumer behavior. This study examines the role of perceived playfulness in shaping behavioral intention to engage with fashion m-commerce by extending the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). Focusing on Brazil’s rapidly growing fashion m-commerce sector, the research adopts a quantitative design with data collected from 288 users via survey. Key constructs, perceived playfulness, performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and social influence, were assessed using a Likert scale and analyzed through covariance-based structural equation modeling. Results show that playfulness is the strongest predictor of behavioral intention, with a greater impact than effort expectancy and social influence. These findings emphasize the importance of emotionally engaging experiences in promoting user adoption. By integrating playfulness as a key exogenous variable, this study extends the UTAUT model and offers both theoretical contributions and practical insights. It highlights the value of interactive features and personalized content in enhancing engagement, improving conversion, and boosting customer retention, providing a competitive edge in Brazil’s dynamic online fashion market.