Extending the Technology Acceptance Model: Digital Literacy as an Upstream Antecedent of Green Purchase Intention

Abstract

Digital transformation has fundamentally changed how consumers search for information and make purchasing decisions, particularly for environmentally friendly products. Although the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) has been widely used to explain technology acceptance, the role of Digital Literacy as a capability preceding technology acceptance has received limited attention. This study extends TAM by positioning Digital Literacy as an upstream antecedent influencing Green Purchase Intention through technology acceptance. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted using data from 300 Indonesian respondents. The proposed model comprised six reflective constructs: Digital Literacy, Perceived Ease of Use, Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Risk, Attitude toward Green Products, and Green Purchase Intention. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with the cSEM package in R and 5,000 bootstrap resamples. The results show that Digital Literacy significantly enhances Perceived Ease of Use (β = 0.600, p < 0.001), which subsequently increases Perceived Usefulness (β = 0.570, p < 0.001) and strengthens Attitude toward Green Products (β = 0.606, p < 0.001). Attitude emerged as the strongest predictor of Green Purchase Intention (β = 0.734, p < 0.001), whereas Perceived Risk exerted a significant negative effect (β = −0.221, p = 0.001). The model explained 73.5% of the variance in Green Purchase Intention. The findings refine TAM by demonstrating that Digital Literacy functions as a foundational capability enabling technology acceptance and provide practical implications for promoting environmentally friendly products through digital platforms.

Keywords:  Digital Literacy; Technology Acceptance Model; Green Purchase Intention; Digital Transformation; Sustainable Consumption.