Understanding Exchangers’ Attitudes and Intentions to Engage in Internet Bartering Based on SET and TRA

The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors influencing exchangers’ attitudes and intentions towards internet bartering based on the theory of reasoned action (TRA) and Social Exchange Theory (SET). A survey method was applied in this research. Data was collected from 114 valid respondents who are participants of internet bartering. The partial least squares (PLS) approach was used to analyze the research model. The results indicate that the following 6 factors have significant effects on individuals’ intention to engage in internet bartering: reciprocity, communication, justice, money saving, subjective norm and critical mass. Moreover, the dimension of interpersonal interaction (including reciprocity, communication and justice) has a significant effect on trust. Trust in turn influences commitment, and commitment has a positive impact on attitudes toward internet bartering. Money saving also has a positive impact on attitudes toward Internet bartering. Finally, social factors such as subjective norm and critical mass have direct and significant impacts on individuals’ intentions to engage in internet bartering. The study provides a complete model for predicting factors influencing exchangers’ attitudes and intentions towards internet bartering from the perspectives of interpersonal, and compensates for the shortage of previous studies on internet bartering which have seldom been discussed in the past.