These conflicting findings from market research reports call for further investigation
on the topic of mobile coupon adoption. Innovation diffusion theory (IDT) suggests
individuals adopt a new technology at a different time depending on how innovative they
are (Rogers, 2003). Personal innovativeness is an enduring trait that is applicable to any
new innovation or technology. Based on the personal innovativeness, Rogers (2003)
proposed adopter categories which respond differently when being exposed to an
innovation. Previous research (Mahajan et al., 1990; Yi et al., 2006) provided sufficient
empirical supports for this classification of adopters from IDT and proved its usefulness
in understanding diffusion of a new product/technology as well as developing marketing
strategies for adopter categories. As mobile coupons are an innovation in the consumer
market, IDT may prove useful in differentiating and explaining the consumer groups and
their adoption patterns. Marketers would be able to communicate with the consumers
more effectively by understanding of mobile coupon adoption and adopter categories