The Intention–Behavior Gap in Shopee Purchasing: A Theory of Planned Behavior Study Among Business Students

Abstract

This study examined the factors influencing business students’ participation in the Shopee e-commerce platform using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Specifically, it analyzed the relationship between attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and behavioral intention, as well as the influence of behavioral intention on actual purchasing behavior. A quantitative research design was employed, utilizing a structured questionnaire distributed to 304 business students of Siquijor State College. Data were analyzed using Spearman rank correlation and Chi-square to determine the strength and significance of relationships among variables. Findings revealed that attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control all have significant moderate to strong positive relationships with behavioral intention. However, behavioral intention showed a very weak relationship with actual purchase frequency and no significant relationship with purchase expenditure. These results suggest that while students may have strong intentions to engage in e-commerce, such intentions do not always translate into actual purchasing behavior. The study concludes that e-commerce platforms like Shopee should focus not only on influencing user intention but also on addressing barriers that prevent actual transactions. Recommendations include improving accessibility, enhancing user experience, and strengthening trust and payment convenience. The findings contribute to the growing body of knowledge on consumer behavior in digital marketplaces and provide practical insights for marketers and platform developers.