Applying means–end chain theory to online buying and understanding consumers’ motivation to disclose private information

Berisha, Brikena (author), Konečnik Ruzzier, Maja (author)

The purpose of this study is to define and understand the motives that influence consumers’ decisions to disclose personal data online. Using means–end chain theory as the main theoretical framework, 10 in-depth interviews conducted through soft laddering revealed how both utilitarian and hedonic motivations jointly shape disclosure behavior. The findings show that these motivations interact, demonstrating that data disclosure is driven not only by functional considerations but also by emotional and experiential factors embedded in consumers’ value systems. The study concludes that motivation plays a central and multifaceted role in online data disclosure decisions.

• Language: English
• Keywords: means–end chain, online shopping, private information, motivation
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: EF - School of Economics and Business
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: Str. 59-72
• Numbering: Vol. 28, iss. 1, article no. 4
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-180869
• UDC: 339.138
• ISSN on article: 2335-4216
• DOI: 10.15458/2335-4216.1368
• COBISS.SI-ID: 270225155
• Publication date in RUL: 18.03.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Economic and business review
• Publisher: Ekonomska fakulteta
• ISSN: 2335-4216
• COBISS.SI-ID: 268649216

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: trženje, spletna trgovina, vedenje potrošnikov, prenos informacij, motiviranje