Relationship of Type of Product, Shopping Orientations, and Demographics with Preference for Shopping on the Internet

This research examines whether (1) consumers' shopping orientations are significantly related to their preference for shopping online, (2) consumers' demographic characteristics are significantly related to preference for shopping online, (3) relationships of shopping orientation and demographic variables with purchase preferences on the Internet will vary by the type of products (i.e., search, experience, or credence). Deriving from the product classification theory, products are classified into four categories: search products, two types of experience products, and credence products. Data were collected through self-administered surveys from adult population in two metropolitan areas in the Southern United States. The findings significantly support the study's hypotheses that shopping orientations such as convenience and recreational shopper and demographic variables such as gender, education, and household income were significantly related to consumer's online purchase preference. The researchers' findings also confirm that the relationships of shopping orientation and demographic variables with purchase preference for shopping online significantly differ by product category. More specifically, convenience and recreational orientations were positively related to preference for shopping online for experience-1, experience-2, and credence product types, though the directional relationship between recreational shopper orientation and preference for shopping on the Internet was positive rather than negative as hypothesized. The results and discussion section also includes implications drawn from the findings.