Factors Influencing Decision to Adopt Paid Cloud Services

Abstract

The purposes of this study were to (1) examine the demographic characteristics and cloud service consumption behavior of users of both paid and free cloud service models in the Bangkok Metropolitan Area, (2) compare the significance levels of the marketing mix factors between users of paid and free cloud services, and (3) compare the levels of importance of the marketing mix factors across the demographic characteristics of users of both paid and free cloud services. This study employed a quantitative research design. The sample consisted of 450 cloud storage service users residing in the Bangkok Metropolitan Area and was selected using convenience sampling. The research instrument was an online questionnaire. Data were analyzed using the independent samples t-test and one-way analysis of variance (One-Way ANOVA). The results revealed that: (1) most respondents were female, aged 18–30 years, held a bachelor's degree, worked as government officers or state enterprise employees, and had an average monthly income of 18,001–30,000 baht. Most respondents used Google Drive to store work-related files, spent less than 100 baht per month on cloud services, and were willing to pay less than 50 baht per month if a minimum service fee were introduced in the future; (2) users of paid cloud services placed significantly greater importance on the marketing mix factors of Product, Price, Process, and Physical Evidence than users of free cloud services; and (3) demographic factors, including age, educational level, occupation, and income, significantly influenced the importance placed on the marketing mix factors. Therefore, cloud service providers should apply marketing mix strategies to enhance their services in order to better meet users' needs. The strategies should emphasize the development of affordable smartphone applications, value-oriented promotional campaigns, user guidance and instructional materials, and the enhancement of data security standards together with flexible service processes. These approaches can strengthen users' confidence and encourage more users to upgrade to paid cloud service plans.