An empirical study of the effect of perceived risk upon intention to use online applications

Abstract Purpose – The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM ) has been used to interpret people's adoptions of several kinds of technology. However, while people accept online application service technology with security threats, the perceived risk is generally ignored by past TAM studies. This study proposes an extension of TAM to an online application context. Design/methodology/approach – The research was done through a survey of 1,259 registered users who had used a free trial version of online antivirus (OLA) applications. Findings – The results reveal that perceived risk indirectly impacts intentions to use an online application under security threats. Notably, while perceived usefulness is important to the trial‐and‐leave group, perceived risk more strongly influences the continuous use group. Originality/value – The findings offer a useful insight for software companies that typically offer free trial versions for continuous use as promotions.