View of WOMEN'S ONLINE PURCHASING BEHAVIOR BEFORE AND DURING/AFTER COVID-19

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VOLUME: 10, Special Issue 01, (IC-IESP-MULTI-2023) Paper id-IJIERM-X-I, January 2023 99

WOMEN'S ONLINE PURCHASING BEHAVIOR BEFORE AND DURING/AFTER COVID-19

Dr. Khushbu Jain

Asst. Prof., Maharaja Ranjeet Singh College of Professional Sciences, Indore 1 INTRODUCTIONS

Current times, there has been increasing in e-commerce organizations in India due to the rapid unfolding of COVID-19. The pandemic is one of the motives why human beings are now not displaying interest in shopping from physical stores, which capability that there would possibly be an increase in online purchasing India's e-commerce penetration will double to 11 percent by 2024: Goldman Sachs”, The Economic Times, Jul 27, 2020) People are changing what they purchase, where, and how, he from traditional shopping for to online shopping. It expanded buying through websites and mobile apps. Due to the increasing threat of the corona virus, clients are fending off public locations which increases customers’ attraction toward online shopping. Although there are quite a few benefits of online buying like less expensive, time-saving, etc. Online purchasing allows people to fulfill their needs by staying at home and going to markets. Though, E-Commerce Companies have to make better insurance policies to meet changing wants of shoppers.

According to a market lookup completed prior to the Corona Virus, the Growth of India's market in digital commerce is increasing at a faster rate(approximately 200 U.S. dollars by the year 2026). Recent tendencies considering that the epidemic point out that goal can be done tons quicker than originally expected, spurred through an expansion in shoppers attracts international spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted how human beings purchase products and offerings and how they pick out e-commerce. The standardized lockdown policies across India and the growing hesitation among customers to go backyard and keep crucial items have tilted the kingdom in the direction of e-commerce. Consumers have switched from shops, supermarkets, and purchasing department stores to online portals for the buying of products, ranging from fundamental commodities to branded goods.

India's e-commerce industry will grow 84percent to $111 billion by 2024 as it gains from demand created by the corona projecting it to grow 21percentannually over the next four years. According to India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF) India's e-commerce market is expected to reach USS 350 billion by 2030.

Online shopping is perceived differently by people belonging to a different gender, age, and Profession. Hence the demographic factor plays a crucial role in shopping online. The study has focused on the women`s attitude towards the upcoming online shopping, their behavior towards it, and the products frequently shopped by them. Hence in this paper, the researcher has sought the guidance of past literature and through the Questionnaire tried to know about customer satisfaction in terms of quality and whether they have increased online shopping during/after corona pandemic and filled the stated objectives.

2 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 E commerce and Covid - 19

 Several factors have an effect on the online shopping choices of consumers. Consumers attitudes and shopping intentions on the Internet are guided by an extensive variety of situational factors, like geographical distance, lack of mobility, time pressure, the splendor of alternatives, and the want for special items. Important attributes of online purchasing are convenience and accessibility to most shoppers (Wolfinbarger & Gilly, 2001). Online shopping decisions are also influenced by means of the type of product or service. The absence of resources and the lack of bodily contact in buying on the Internet is one component that influences this suitability. The need to feel, touch, smell, or strive for the product, which is no longer possible when shopping online is any other factor. An individual’s response to a mission involving judgment is based on three aspects viz., the individual’s previous experiences, the context or background, and the stimulus (Helson, 1964)

 While online shopping has several benefits over the regular method, a few pitfalls are there pertaining to Internet buying. In virtual shops, the consumer is now not in a

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position to see and check the product quality, as would be the case in a bodily store. In fact, for the consumer, shopping for products on the net seems to be a more complicated choice as it is more difficult to shape an influence as to whether the products on offer are terrific (Raijas, 2002). The second location of complexity concerns the mode of fee for the ordered products. Most of the shoppers who are used to paying by using money at checkout can also locate the digital transfer and protection tests unfamiliar and more complex.

 ishra (2007) examined the demographic Characteristics of online buyers and their attitudes toward online purchasing behavior for clothing. Perceived usefulness reinforces an online shopper’s intention to proceed with the use of a website, such that when a character accepts a new information system, one may also be extra than inclined to alter practices and deplete time and effort to use it (Gefen & straub, 2022)

 Internet purchasing records of the client influence the intention to save online. Trust and risk are the primary elements that impact patron participation in web-based commerce, which have the potential to increase the frequency of online shopping exercises (Al-Mowalad, 2013). In an Internet environment, the enterprise is being transformed into a social relationship from a transaction relationship. The creation of social media has opened a new avenue of advertising for corporations. As buyers are increasingly referring to social media sites before making a purchase, the word-on-web changed word-of-mouth publicity, extensively influencing buying behavior. In online shopping, belief is interwoven with the threat (McAllister, 1995). Trust reduces the consumer’s appreciation of chance associated with opportunistic conduct via the seller (Ganesan, 1994). The motive for shoppers now not purchasing from Internet retail outlets is suggested to be a lack of trust.

 Bhatti et al. (2020) mentioned in the find out that there is an influence of Coronavirus on the complete online business of the world. The nature of business has modified due to this pandemic. According to the lookup greater than 50%, customers are heading off to go for offline buying and crowded places.

2.2 Women buying Behaviour

 Behavior is scarce, and greater so in the case of the role of gender. Shopping dynamics in India are exceptional from that of the west, the place buying is a family exercise with almost 70% of buyers going to stores continually with the family, with 74% of them seeing buying as an excellent way to spend time with the family. The family-oriented buying as a desire was once observed to be constant throughout areas and cities, earnings segments, and age groups in India (Sheth& Vittal,2007) Women do most of the purchasing in the traditional world, however, it is the reverse in online shopping (Dennis et al., 2002b; Ballard& Mandee, 2006, OFT 2007) Why is this phenomenon? Is this due to the fact on line purchasing lacks the social trip of brick-and-mortar shopping? Research-based evidence suggests that ladies and in particular, younger adults, regard the social component of purchasing as a necessary element (Dholakia, 1999). Internet retailers (e-retailers) face situations in gratifying customers’ higher-level wishes for non-public interaction. Yet for younger females, the Internet is the new social space (Social Networks, 2007). The researchers recommend that there is a foremost possibility ready for e-retailers to combine e-shopping with social networking.

 Rastogi (2010) located in the find out that due to the growing utilization of the internet, customers can buy anything, from somewhere they want to store with well-timed and included price charge options. Purchasers can examine.

 arma and Aggarwal (2014) in a find out about on Mumbai’s western suburbs homemakers found that online purchasing for them is each a utilitarian and hedonic ride and is an enjoyable exercise directed to reduce their boredom. According to Stone (1954), consumers are categorized as economic, personalizing, ethical, and apathetic shoppers. Consumers are motivated via buy desires or experiential desires or an aggregate of both when they shop (Westbrook & Black 1985)

 Saravanan and Devi (2015) found that with the improvement in the Internet, the technological know-how of internet shopping has additionally developed. It is a useful way of shopping for products and offerings that affords customers the options for distinctive sorts of products. Internet buying conduct is a sort of conduct of clients at

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the time of browsing websites or apps in order to search, pick and purchase items and offerings to fulfill their desires and wants.

 Charumathi and RANI (2017) observed that the net performs an important function in an electronic commercial enterprise that offers a number of facilities.

 In their paper has put forth the necessary elements of online shopping which are considered by Indian women: a variety of products, Convenience, and price.

 N. Arora & Aggarwal (2018) Studies on Indian consumer-buying conduct are scarce, and greater so in the case of the position of gender. Shopping dynamics in India are one of a kind from that of the west, where purchasing is a family pastime with nearly 70%

of shoppers going to shops constantly with the family, with 74% of them seeing buying as the pleasant way to spend time with the family. The family-oriented purchasing as a preference used to be located to be constant across regions and cities, profits segments, and age groups in India

 But after covid-19, there are a number of other factors or drivers which motivate customers for online shopping. Limited movement among st people, COVID-19 fear, the rapid increase of cell devices, and scarcity of products in bodily stores, Convenience and Time saving, and Digital transformation of local kirana stores are the most important drivers of online buying post-COVID-19. Generally, a splendid frame of mind toward shopping online for garb used to be proven by way of girls (Hirst & Onar, 2007) Although females are aware of some of the discouraging points of online purchasing apparel, these points do not deter them from shopping online. The Internet person base is developing hastily in India and it is inspiring to see that the women user base is also increasing unexpectedly (Jain, 2014). It is clear that the Internet is empowering Indian girls with effortless access to facts and helping them to make extra knowledgeable choices in their everyday life. Singh (2016) located that most youngsters and the childhood generation (18-25 age group) are very plenty fascinated with online purchasing because they comprehend the utilization of technology.

 Arma andAggarwal (2014) in a find out about on Mumbai’s western suburbs homemakers found that online purchasing for them is each a utilitarian and hedonic ride and is an enjoyable exercise directed to reduce boredom. According to Stone (1954), consumers are categorized as economic, personalizing, ethical, and apathetic shoppers.

Consumers are motivated via buy desires or experiential desires or a aggregate of both when they shop (Westbrook & Black 1985) found that on-line purchasing for them is each a utilitarian and hedonic ride and is a enjoyment exercise directed to reduce their boredom.

2.3 Objectives

1. Explore the online apparel buying behaviour of women before and during/after covid- 19pandemic.

2. Learn about the expansion in online shopping post the covid pendenmic scenario.

3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The research methodology used in this study is Empirical Research, which is based on Primary Data. A questionnaire with twelve different questions is designed. The questionnaire was distributed on social networking sites to collect responses from 70 females who were sent the questionnaire and 60 females who responded.

3.1 Statistical Analysis

All the gathered information of this survey has been shown in different charts and graphs.

Percent age analysis has also been used for this study.

3.2 Assessment and Interpretation

The outcomes of this inspection are recorded in the following Diagrams

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VOLUME: 10, Special Issue 01, (IC-IESP-MULTI-2023) Paper id-IJIERM-X-I, January 2023 102 Source - Primary Data

83.3 percent of respondents to an investigation agreed that internet shopping increased after the COVID pandemic while 16.7 percent of respondents opposed an increase in online buying following the COVID pandemic.

Source - Primary Data

We offered four options for how much money consumers should spend on online shopping each month in the survey, but only two were chosen. where 96.7% chose less than 5000 criteria and 3.3% chose 5000-10,000 criteria.

According to the data, 86.7% of females believed that online shopping saves time and energy, while 13.3% disagreed.

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When we researched product satisfaction, we observed that the majority of ladies were satisfied with the quality of the goods, but just 20% of females believed that internet shopping was not satisfactory.

When we knew about the how method they want to like payment so find that70 percent female preferred cash on delivery and 20 percent preferred UPI and 3.3 percent preferred debit card, credit card and 3.3 percent preferred UPI & debit card both .

From the analysis of the chart, it is understood that out of 90 respondents, a majority of 33.33 per cent of the respondents have preferred Amazon, 16.7 percent of the respondents have preferred Flip kart and Mantra,10.0percentoftherespondentshavepreferred Social sites , Amazon, Flipkart and remaining 3.3percent preferred amazon and flip kart both.

When we knew that females started online purchasing before COVID or during/after COVID, the graphic shows that 60% started during or after COVID and 40% started before COVID.

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According to the graph, the majority of women, 66.7% make an online purchase once a month, followed by 20.0% who make two purchases a month, 3.3% who make three purchases a month, and 10.0% who make three more purchases a month.

the majority chose 70% cash on delivery, 20 percent of the respondents preferred UPI, and 3.3% used UPI, Credit Cards, and Debit Cards, according to the questionnaire.

4 FINDINGS

In this survey, the researcher discovered the following points:

1. Majority of women began online buying during or after COVID 19.

2. Majority of Women preferred online Shopping instead of offline shopping.

3. Women preferred cash on delivery as a payment method.

4. After a COVID pandemic scenario, online shopping increases.

5. The majority of women agree that online shopping saves time and energy.

5 CONCLUSION

Because of the numerous advantages and benefits, an increasing number of women now choose online buying to traditional shopping. In recent years, the buyer's decision-making process has shifted substantially. Buyers perform considerable web research before talking with a salesperson. Buyers are increasingly making more direct purchases online and through their smartphones, instead of visiting traditional brick-and-mortar stores. Doing business has become lot easier and faster thanks to the internet. people all around the world choose to shop online and purchase things from various brands and firms that they cannot locate or cannot purchase in their own country. Nowadays, It has resulted in changes in how individuals conduct business, with a rapidly rising global trend toward online shopping, or e-commerce.

In this work that shoppers, particularly women, are motivated by a range of factors, including socialization and enjoyment. We discovered that the majority of women began online buying during or after Covid 19 because everything is closed during Covid and the

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only alternative for needed supplies is online shopping, it gradually became a habit. Most female online shoppers use their mobile phone to access the internet at home, so a mobile strategy to offer convenience and flexibility is necessary. Now, most women prefer online shopping and believe that it saves time and energy. They shop at least once a month and mostly from Amazon, with cash on delivery as their favorite payment method

6 SUGGESTIONS

1. They should choose secure payment by debit or credit card to gain extra discounts.

2. Always purchase products through a secure connection.

3. Do not use an e-store that asks more information than is necessary to complete the transaction.

4. Always read reviews before purchase.

5. Expensive and unique items obtained from traditional markets REFERENCES

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