This study investigates the mediating role of cognitive skills users’ ability to process, interpret, and engage with digital platforms in shaping the relationship between Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2) constructs (effort expectancy, facilitating conditions) and customer experience in online shopping. While prior research prioritizes technology adoption, the cognitive mechanisms underlying experiential outcomes remain underexplored, particularly in emerging markets like Malaysia, where 66.2% of online shoppers are digital natives aged 18–24. Drawing on Cognitive Load Theory (Sweller, 1988) and Technology Readiness Index (Parasuraman, 2000), this work advances a dual-process framework to explain how cognitive alignment mediates platform interactions. Using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) on data from 343 Malaysian consumers, the analysis demonstrates that facilitating conditions enhance customer experience through cognitive skills, while effort expectancy’s indirect influence is non-significant. These findings challenge the UTAUT2’s traditional focus on usability, advocating instead for designs that foster cognitive engagement (AI-driven personalization, skill-building tutorials). For practitioners, this underscores the need to pair technical infrastructure with interfaces that stimulate active user cognition, particularly in youth-dominated markets.