| Figure 3. Research Model
One aspect of online shopping enjoyment is the perception that the website has interesting content. The second aspect of flow, perceived system user control (i.e., not being controlled by the system), concerns the information environment on the Internet. A high level of consumer control should be guaranteed by companies that wish their customers to conduct online transactions [6, 44]. The third aspect of flow, concentration/attention, is not always easy to maintain on a website. In an online banking situation, customers do not engage with tellers personally. Such face-to-face interaction can be very engaging. Online interaction can also be engaging [20]. However, online concentration/attention may be discouraged by limited time and lack of information processing resources [86], lack of a real space where people can meet each other face to face [55], and other distractions, such as email, pop-ups, and instant messaging.
Trust in an offline bank probably reduces user hesitance to give attention to the system, because without trust, the perceived risk of using the system would interfere. Trust therefore obviates uncertainty or concern and facilitates the development of flow. It is hard for the user to experience flow when the mind is bogged down in uncertainty or risk. That is, flow means a feeling of total involvement [20]. It is hard to feel total involvement using the online system of a bank one does not trust. Trust has long been seen as a way to address uncertainty [64]. Trust can act as a substitute for control because one feels more in control and less uncertain with a person one trusts [64]. Offline bank trust would thus positively influence flow in terms of perceived control because one who trusts the offline bank would feel more in control and less uncertain when using the bank’s system.
H1: Trust in an offline bank positively influences perceived user flow with the online bank system.
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