Consumer resistance to internet banking: postponers, opponents and rejectors

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to further the understanding of innovation resistance by dividing internet banking non‐adopters into three groups based on their intentions to use the innovation. Thereafter, the aim is to identify how the resistance differs in these customer groups. Design/methodology/approach: This study identifies three groups of internet banking non‐adopters, namely postponers, opponents and rejectors. The data were collected by conducting an extensive postal survey among the retail banking customers in Finland who had not adopted internet banking. The measurement development was based on consumer resistance theory and the earlier literature on internet banking. Principal component analysis was used to classify the resistance items into five adoption barriers derived from the earlier literature. Thereafter, analysis of variance was used to analyse the statistical differences in resistance to internet banking between the three groups. Findings: Significant differences were identified between the groups explored. The resistance of the rejectors is much more intense and diverse than that of the opponents, while the postponers show only slight resistance. The results also indicate that psychological barriers are even higher determinants of resistance than usage and value, which are constructs related to ease‐of‐use and usefulness determining acceptance in the traditional technology acceptance model. Moreover, the findings highlight the role of self‐efficacy in bank customers' risk perceptions to internet banking. Originality/value: This study provides further understanding of what inhibits internet banking adoption by comparing three non‐adopter groups with respect to their resistance to internet banking. It also has implications for management in overcoming non‐adopters' resistance to the innovation.