Age and gender influences on consumer behavior towards online discounts

Abstract

Online shopping is one of the most popular activities that take place on internet. It has expanded considerably in the past few years, but still not reached to its full potential. Internet has created new opportunities for organizations to effectively reach out to existing and potential customers. Web sites enable customers to conveniently search, compare and buy products and services online. Click and mortar stores use various types of online promotional tools like discounts for customer attraction and retention. Various studies have been directed towards influence of gender and age on online shopping behavior of consumers, but limited study has been carried out precisely towards online discounts. The aim of the study is to examine the influence of age and gender on factors –website characteristics and convenience-considered during purchase of online discounted products. This research study was conducted among the online shoppers, who purchase online discounted products, in four prominent districts of North India. Data collected from 311 online buyers, who purchase online products available at a discount rate, was used for the study. The data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 16.0). The factors were extracted by using exploratory factor analysis with principal axis factoring and varimax rotation. Reliability (Cronbach’s alpha) and validity were established for the scale used in the study. ANOVA was used to analyze the influence of age and gender on factors considered while purchasing online products available at a discount rate. The findings indicate that influence of males and females varies on the factors-website characteristics and convenience-considered while purchasing online products available at a discount rate, but there is no influence of different age groups. These findings can help online marketers to formulate strategies to attract the online shoppers based on age and gender.