ITAA - KSCT Joint Symposium

Driving Digital Change in Resale: UTAUT-Based Insights from Software Adoption in Underserved Consignment Retail

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Abstract

As resale markets expand rapidly, independently owned consignment stores face increasing pressure to modernize operations while preserving community-based retail practices. This qualitative study examines how consignment store owners in underserved regions navigate the adoption of specialized management software. Guided by the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), semi-structured interviews with women-owned consignment businesses in West Virginia reveal how performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions shape adoption decisions. Findings show that software adoption is driven not only by efficiency and competitiveness, but also by peer networks, vendor support, and concerns about maintaining personalized customer relationships. By centering the voices of small retail entrepreneurs often overlooked in technology research, this study extends UTAUT into community-based resale contexts. It offers insights into how digital transformation unfolds in resource-constrained retail environments.

Keywords: Digital Transformation in Resale, Consignment Retail, Technology Adoption, Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), Underserved Retail Communities

How to Cite:

Sarkar, J. & Uriyo, A., (2025) “Driving Digital Change in Resale: UTAUT-Based Insights from Software Adoption in Underserved Consignment Retail”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 82(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.21970