Key Conceptual Propositions to Engage Consumers with the Internet of Things: A Critical Scrutiny from Consumers’ Perspective

The advent of information and communication technologies has transformed modern business models and approaches. Of late, the Internet of Things (IoT) has emerged as one such disruptive technology that is believed to play a key role in consumers’ daily activities—influencing the overall business operations as well as the global economic systems. Innovative business organizations can now leverage the IoT to design immersive customer experiences, develop highly interactive advertising, and reinforce consumer engagement and service innovation in novel ways. While IoT can play a decisive role in integrating and coordinating marketing programs, little is known about the practice and the effective execution of IoT in the marketplace. This chapter addresses this gap by conceptually proposing a framework that can assist business organizations in offering riveting customer experiences by applying IoT in their routine operations. This chapter primarily scrutinizes IoT from a consumer’s viewpoint and proposes perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, perceived privacy risk, and consumer experience with IoT as the key drivers of consumers’ IoT adoption and engagement. The chapter has significant implications for marketing practitioners who seek to optimize consumer engagement and adoption of IoT. This chapter will also help researchers who intend to contribute to the exponential development of the relatively recent approach of IoT to the business world.