Factors influencing the use of shared stroller rentals in scenic spots—an extension based on the UTAUT model

Abstract: Purpose: With the rise of parent-child travel, the trend of sharing economy has given birth to shared strollers. This emerging field aims to ease the burden on parents. However, although many shared stroller brands have emerged on the market, this sharing model is similar to other sharing forms and also faces a series of development challenges. In previous studies, users' awareness and acceptance of shared strollers for rent in scenic spots have not been studied in depth. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to deeply explore the factors that affect users' willingness to use shared stroller rentals to promote the improvement of shared service quality.Methods: We adopt UTAUT (Unified Theory of Technology Acceptance and Usage Model) as a theoretical framework to explain user adoption behavior. First, we issued questionnaires to analyze users' usage behavior, and then introduced the internal variables in the UTAUT model, including performance expectations, effort expectations, social influence and convenience conditions, into the context of shared stroller rental. We then conducted in-depth scenario interviews to further observe users’ actual behaviors and understand their potential needs. By analyzing the actual behavior of users, we further refine the secondary variables related to internal variables, such as observability, trialability, compatibility, complexity, etc., aiming to quantify the impact of these internal variables on user intentions.By mapping the user decision-making process, the functional requirements of users at different stages are clarified. To assess the priority of feature points, we used a 5-point scale questionnaire among people aged 22 to 50 years with children. The specific items related to secondary variables in the questionnaire reflect the impact of different factors such as performance expectations, effort expectations, social influence, and convenience conditions on users' willingness to use shared stroller rentals.Research results: Performance expectations, convenience conditions and satisfaction have the most significant positive impact on adoption intention, followed by social influence. Perceived risk and expected effort showed significant negative effects. Based on the survey results, we made recommendations for improvements to the existing shared stroller service. These research results provide solid theoretical support and empirical data for understanding the adoption process of shared stroller rental services, and also provide useful reference for the development and promotion of similar services.Significance: Users' attention to shared strollers plays an important role in the development of shared service-related industrial chains. Based on these results, we summarized the shortcomings of shared stroller brand design and put forward suggestions to improve users' willingness to use them, provide theoretical reference for the design of such products, and provide management suggestions for stakeholders.

Keywords: UTAUT, user decision-making, sharing economy

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1004507

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