It’s all about perceptions: A DEMATEL approach to exploring user perceptions of real estate online platforms

Real Estate Online Platforms (REOPs) are used for conveying real estate and property-related information to potential users (buyers, renters, or sellers). The information leveraged through REOPs supports these users in reaching conclusive rent or buy decisions. Despite their promised utility, user perception about accepting online information through REOPs is unexplored. Using a comprehensive questionnaire and data collected from 65 users, the current study captures the users’ perception of REOPs. Risk, service, information, system, technology adoption model (RSISTAM) is proposed comprising of seven users’ perceptions: risk (PR), service quality (PSEQ), information quality (PIQ), and system quality (PSYQ) from the information systems success model, and usefulness (PU), ease of use (PEU) and behaviour to accept (BAU) from TAM. The results are analysed using the decision making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) approach, which shows that PIQ, PSEQ and PEU are the causes and PR, PSYQ, PU and BAU are the effects. Among the criteria, the order of prominence is PEU > PSEQ > PIQ, and for net effects, the order is PU > BAU > PSYQ > PR. For addressing the causes, the REOP managers must provide more transparent, high quality and voluminous information to the users, focus on the system, services, and information qualities, and add more enjoyable, immersive and easy-to-use content through REOPs. This study contributes to the body of knowledge by exploring user perceptions and proposing methods to improve the quality and reliability of REOPs in line with Real Estate 4.0 and industry 4.0 aims.