A Study On Customer Perception Towards Online Shopping
A Study On Customer Perception Towards Online Shopping
A Study On Customer Perception Towards Online Shopping
INTRODUCTION
`Online shopping is commonly known as internet shopping or e-shopping.
Online shopping is done when the consumers purchase products on-line. Through
online shopping, consumers shop for required products without physically visiting
the store. Nowadays, the consumers have become more shopping conscious and surf
the internet on a daily basis and buy products even across the globe. Development
in technology and an increase in the usage of internet in recent times have led to a
drastic, increase in the practice of online shopping. The greater the accessibility of
internet to the general population, higher is the number of people shopping online.
At present, online shopping is becoming a well-accepted way to purchase a wide
range of products and services. Internet shopping is becoming extremely popular
because online shoppers have an option of shopping at any time of the day sitting at
their home or offices. Consumers buy products from various apparel websites and
depict a specific kind of behavior which is related to various demographic factors,
such as, age, gender, income group, marital status, occupation, etc.
The greatest feature of online shopping is that the websites are open 24 hours
a day and consumers are free to shop at their convenience. Most of the items
available for online shopping are on huge discount and low prices along with free
shipping on the maximum range of products. The online shopping websites and
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number of consumers shopping online have increased exponentially in the past few
years. It is important to study consumers’ behavior towards online shopping as it
clearly reflects their intentions. It helps in developing better marketing strategies to
convert off-line buyers into online shoppers. It gives an idea about the kind of
products that a consumer is interested in buying and the circumstances under which
they prefer buying online.
1. Social factors
2. Psychological factors
3. Personal factors
Though there are several factors that influence consumers to shop online, some of
these factors have been discussed below:
1. Convenience
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2. Previous online experience
3. Pricing policy
4. Online trust
5. Variety
6. Discreet shopping
7. Special offers
8. Website design/Features
9. Payment options
10. Wish list
11. Send gifts
12. Comparison of prices
OBJECTIVE
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The main objectives of the study are:
The level of consumer satisfaction towards website trust, website design and
perceived apparel quality was also identified. Five websites were assessed to
identify the problems faced by the consumers while shopping online. Guidelines
were prepared which will help consumers to shop online. Present study will be
beneficial to both consumers and e-retailers. The guidelines will help enhance the
knowledge and awareness of consumers when shopping online. With the help of
this study, retailers will be able to access the behavior of consumers when they shop
online. This will also reveal the problems that consumers face while shopping
online. As a result, retailers will be able to identify the needs of the consumers and
will work towards the problems faced by consumers thereby improving their
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marketing strategies and website design. This will reduce the problems faced by
consumers and build their trust in the website which will lead to increase in sales
volume for the retailers.
1. Myntra.com
2. Amazon.com
3. ajio.com
4. Flipkart.com
5. Jabong.com
INDUSTRY PROFILE
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Jabong.com It deals in branded and fashionable apparel
6. and accessories.
Yebhi.com It offers products like designer clothing,
7. accessories and shoes for men and women. It
also deals with jewellery and electronics.
It is allied with the establishment
8. Known as Network 18. It offers apparel and
accessories and deals in all kinds of
electronics. It also runs a Home Shopping
Channel that runs 24 *7, which is dedicated to
teleshopping and online retailing.
COMPANY PROFILE
Myntra.com
Introduction
Myntra is a one stop shop for all your fashion and lifestyle needs. Being India's
largest e-commerce store for fashion and lifestyle products, Myntra aims at
providing a hassle free and enjoyable shopping experience to shoppers across the
country with the widest range of brands and products on its portal. The brand is
making a conscious effort to bring the power of fashion to shoppers with an array of
the latest and trendiest products available in the country.
Value proposition
Myntra's value proposition revolves around giving consumers the power and ease of
purchasing fashion and lifestyle products online. Offerings such as the largest in-
season product catalogue, 100% authentic products, cash on delivery and 30 day
return policy make Myntra, the preferred shopping destination in the country. To
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make online shopping easier for you, a dedicated customer connect team is on
standby to answer your queries 24x7.
Brands
Myntra understands its shoppers' needs and caters to them with choice of apparel,
accessories, cosmetics and footwear from over 500 leading Indian and international
brands. Prominent brands include Adidas, Nike, Puma, Catwalk, Inc 5, United
Colors of Benetton, FCUK, Timberland, Avirate, FabIndia and Biba to name a few.
You can also shop from some recently introduced labels such as - Roadster, Sher
Singh, Dressberry, Kook N Keech and ETC.
Recognitions
Awarded 'Fashion eRetailer of the Year 2013' by Franchise India – Indian
eRetail Awards
Awarded 'Best E-commerce Website for 2012' by IAMAI – India Digital
Awards
Awarded 'Images Most Admired Retailer of the Year: Non–Store Retail' for
2012 by Images Group
Awarded 'Best E-commerce Partner of the year 2011-12' by Puma India
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. provides online retail shopping services. It provides
services to four primary customer sets: consumers, sellers, enterprises, and content
creators. The company also provides other marketing and promotional services,
such as online advertising and co-branded credit card agreements. It serves
consumers through its retail websites with a focus on selection, price, and
convenience. It designs its websites to enable its products to be sold by the company
and by third parties across dozens of product categories. It also manufactures and
sells the Kindle e-reader and strives to offer customers the lowest prices possible
through low every day product pricing and free shipping offers, including through
membership in Amazon Prime. The company offers programs that enable sellers to
sell their products on its websites and their own branded websites, earning fixed
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fees, revenue share fees or per-unit activity fees from these transactions. It also
serves developers and enterprises of all sizes through Amazon Web Services, which
provides access to technology infrastructure that enables virtually any type of
business. The company operates in two principal segments: North America and
International. The North America segment consists of retail sales of consumer
products and subscriptions through North America-focused websites such as
www.amazon.com and www.amazon.ca. The International segment consists of
retail sales of consumer products and subscriptions through internationally focused
locations. This segment includes export sales from these internationally based
locations, including export sales from these sites to customers in the U.S. and
Canada. The company was founded by Jeffrey P. Bezos in July 1994 and is
headquartered in Seattle, WA.“
“Amazon.com History
The company was founded in 1994, spurred by what Bezos called his “regret
minimization framework”, which described his efforts to fend off any regrets for not
participating sooner in the Internet business boom during that time. In 1994, Bezos
left his employment as vice-president of D. E. Shaw & Co., a Wall Street firm, and
moved to Seattle. He began to work on a business plan for what would eventually
become Amazon.com.
After reading a report about the future of the Internet which projected annual Web
commerce growth at 2,300%, Bezos created a list of 20 products which could be
marketed online. He narrowed the list to what he felt were the five most promising
products which included: compact discs, computer hardware, computer software,
videos, and books. Bezos finally decided that his new business would sell books
online, due to the large world-wide demand for literature, the low price points for
books, along with the huge number of titles available in print. Amazon was
originally founded in Bezos’ garage in Bellevue, Washington.
The company began as an online bookstore, an idea spurred off with discussion
with John Ingram of Ingram Book (now called Ingram Content Group), along with
Keyur Patel who still holds a stake in Amazon. In the first two months of business,
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Amazon sold to all 50 states and over 45 countries. Within two months, Amazon’s
sales were up to $20,000/week. While the largest brick and mortar bookstores and
mail order catalogs might offer 200,000 titles, an online bookstore could “carry”
several times more, since they had an almost unlimited virtual (not actual)
warehouse: those of the actual product makers/suppliers.
Bezos wanted a name for his company that began with “A” so that it would appear
early in alphabetic order. He began looking through the dictionary and settled on
“Amazon” because it was a place that was “exotic and different” just as he planned
for his store to be, and he believed it was the biggest river in the world, and he
planned to make his store the biggest in the world. Bezos placed a premium on his
head start in building a brand, telling a reporter, “There’s nothing about our model
that can’t be copied over time. But you know, McDonald’s got copied. And it still
built a huge, multibillion-dollar company. A lot of it comes down to the brand
name. Brand names are more important online than they are in the physical world.”
Since 2000, Amazon’s logotype has featured a curved arrow leading from A to Z,
representing that they carry every product from A to Z, with the arrow shaped like a
smile.
Amazon was incorporated in 1994, in the state of Washington. In July 1995, the
company began service and sold its first book on Amazon.com: Douglas
Hofstadter’s Fluid Concepts and Creative Analogies: Computer Models of the
Fundamental Mechanisms of Thought. In October 1995, the company announced
itself to the public. In 1996, it was reincorporated in Delaware. Amazon issued its
initial public offering of stock on May 15, 1997, trading under the NASDAQ stock
exchange symbol AMZN, at a price ofUS$18.00 per share ($1.50 after three stock
splits in the late 1990s).
Amazon’s initial business plan was unusual; it did not expect to make a profit for
four to five years. This “slow” growth caused stockholders to complain about the
company not reaching profitability fast enough to justify investing in, or to even
survive in the long-term. When the dot-com bubble burst at the start of the 21st
Century, destroying many e-companies in the process, Amazon survived, and grew
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on past the bubble burst to become a huge player in online sales. It finally turned its
first profit in the fourth quarter of 2001: $5 million (i.e., 1¢ per share), on revenues
of more than $1 billion. This profit margin, though extremely modest, proved to
skeptics that Bezos’ unconventional business modelcould succeed. In 1999, Time
magazine named Bezos the Person of the Year, recognizing the company’s success
in popularizing online shopping.
Barnes & Noble sued Amazon on May 12, 1997, alleging that Amazon’s claim to
be “the world’s largest bookstore” was false. Barnes and Noble asserted, “[It] isn’t a
bookstore at all. It’s a book broker.” The suit was later settled out of court, and
Amazon continued to make the same claim.” Walmart sued Amazon on October 16,
1998, alleging that Amazon had stolen their trade secrets by hiring former Walmart
executives. Although this suit was also settled out of court, it caused Amazon to
implement internal restrictions and the reassignment of the former Walmart
executives.”
ajio.com
AJIO is the digital fashion extension of Reliance that unveiled in April 2016
at Lakme Fashion Week in Mumbai. AJIO, a fashion and lifestyle brand, is
Reliance Retail’s first pan-Indian ecommerce venture and is the ultimate fashion
destination for styles that are handpicked, on trend and at prices that are the best
you’ll find anywhere.
Celebrating fearlessness and uniqueness, AJIO.com is constantly looking to bring a
fresh, current and accessible perspective to personal style.
At the heart of it all, AJIO’s philosophy and initiatives point to one simple
truth – inclusivity and acceptance as the only way to make our society a little more
humane. And along the way, just a little more stylish, whether it’s through creating
capsule collections that make putting together great looks easy, making exclusive
international brands available in one place, reviving India’s rich textile heritage
through the Indie collection or making great style an easy purchase through the in-
house brand AJIO Own.
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AJIO deals in categories of women’s wear, menswear, kids wear and
technology. With fashion technology in particular, AJIO forayed into a category
that combined the convenience of technology with the aesthetics of contemporary
fashion by featuring a carefully handpicked selection of premium gadgets and tech
accessories.
With the advanced internet infrastructure built by JIO and a robust physical retail
business built by Reliance Retail, we’re creating a differentiated e-commerce model
for India through AJIO. This model will entail seamless integration of online and
offline models while innovating across superior customer experience, delivery
services and payment ecosystem.
Flipkart.com
Flipkart Private Limited is an Indian e-commerce company established in
2007. It started with a primary focus on online book sales and soon, expanded to
lifestyle products, electronics, home essentials and groceries. Today, Flipkart is the
biggest online Indian marketplace competing with the world leader Amazon.
Since 2010, the company has made a number of acquisitions including Letsbuy,
Myntra, Jabong, eBay India, etc. In addition to its main office in Bengaluru,
Flipkart has branch offices at Delhi and Mumbai. Apart from India, the firm is
registered in Singapore. In 2018, the US-based retail chain Walmart acquired
majority stake in Flipkart.
Recently, Flipkart has opened its R&D centre at Israel. This is in line with its latest
acquisition of Israeli start-up Upstream Commerce. The centre is run by talented
engineers from across the world.
Headquarters
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Key People:
Kalyan Krishnamurthy – CEO
Sachin Bansal & Binny Bansal – Founders
Logo:
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Flipkart uses a single alphabet ‘f’ in blue color on a yellow colored shopping
bag. The alphabet ‘f’ is accompanied by speed lines. It is meant to denote
positive and quick service. The chosen colors signify imaginativeness,
liveliness and inclusivity. The name ‘Flipkart’ itself means 'Flipping things
into kart'. Till now, the company has modified its logo 5-6 times.
Revenue:
US $6.1 billion (FY 2019)
Number of Employees:
30,000
Official Website:
www.flipkartcareers.com
Achievements:
In 2014, Flipkart became the first Indian online retailer to achieve $1.9
billion GMV (Gross Merchandise Value).
Co-founder Sachin Bansal was named ‘Entrepreneur of the Year 2012–2013’
by The Economic Times.
Flipkart’s app became the first Indian mobile app to cross 50 million users in
2016.
In 2016, the founders, Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal were named “Asian
of the Year” by Straits Times of Singapore.
Jabong.com
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Jabong.com was an Indian fashion and lifestyle e-commerce portal founded by ,
Lakshmi Potluri, Arun Chandra Mohan and Manu Kumar Jain. In July, 2016
Flipkart acquired Jabong through its unit Myntra for about $70 million. In February,
2020, Flipkart formally shut down Jabong to shift focus completely on its premium
clothing platform Myntra. The portal sold apparel, footwear, fashion accessories,
beauty products, fragrances, home accessories and other fashion and lifestyle
products. The company's headquarter is in Gurugram, NCR, India. (en)
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CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Online shopping is still at an evolving stage in India and few studies have been
undertaken for assessing the attitude of male and female towards shopping for
apparel in India. This study focuses on various factors that affect the buying
behaviour of consumers while shopping online. A number of studies have been
done in this field some of which are discussed below:
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respondents belonging to the age group of 25-35 years were more inclined towards
online shopping as compared to other age groups. The results also revealed that the
factors such as convenience, choice of product selection, better prices, ability to find
more personalised gifts, trust, home page and fun, played an important role in
consumer preference towards online shopping.
Reddy & Srinivas (2015) conducted a study on 598 respondents in the age group of
20-30 years, 30-40 years and 40-50 years. The study focused on demographic
factors on online buying behavior of consumers. The data was collected through a
questionnaire from 6 major Indian cities namely New Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai,
Chennai, Bangalore and Kolkata. The results showed that females from age group
of 20-30 years bought more frequently than males. This indicated that females
shopped 3-4 times in a month as compared to males who shopped only once a
month on internet. The results further showed that age, marital status, income and
education did not impact online shopping much in India. However, family size
significantly affected online shopping behavior of consumers.
A study conducted by Aruna et al., (2015) revealed that online shopping in India is
significantly influenced by various demographic factors that include age, gender,
education and income. Further, the study concludes that assessment of online
shopping behavior of consumers could contribute to get a better understanding of
online shopping behavior of consumers.
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The study was carried out to find out the impact of demographic factors of
consumers on various online shopping parameters like satisfaction towards online
shopping, purchase intention, online shopping frequency, numbers of items
purchased, and the total spend on online shopping. The sample size of 70
respondents was selected using random sampling method. Analysis of data was
done using ANOVA. The results revealed that demographic factors like age,
gender, marital status, family size and income affects the consumers’ behaviour
towards online shopping. However, occupation does not have an impact on online
shopping behaviour of consumers (Nagra & Gopal, 2013).
Jayakumar & Kumar (2013) focused on the attitude of consumer towards internet
shopping in Chennai city of Tamil Nadu. The data was collected form 100
respondents through random sampling. A questionnaire survey method was used to
measure the attitude of internet shopping. The result revealed that attitude of
consumer towards internet shopping was positively and significantly related to age,
gender and monthly income. However, it was negatively related to educational
qualification, size of family and nature of family. Hence, the results proved that
consumers’ behaviour significantly differs while shopping online.
Alam, et al., (2008) studied key factors influencing online shopping behaviour of
young Malaysian consumers. This study was conducted on 496 undergraduate
students from two private universities of Malaysia. Regression and ANOVA was
done to analyse the result. It was found that young consumers play an important role
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in online shopping. There was a variation in buying of the consumers depending on
consumer service, trust and reliability. The result shows that the increased usage of
internet by young generation provides an emerging prospect for online retailers. It
was also found that website design, website reliability, consumer service and
privacy are the four factors which influence young consumers’ perception towards
online shopping.
Kumar & Sobha (2016) analysed the relationship between various demographic
variables and consumers’ attitude towards online shopping. The data was gathered
through a self structured questionnaire. Two hundred and fifty respondents were
approached to collect the data from Palakkad district in Kerala using convenient
sampling method. It was found that 61% of the consumers had a positive attitude
and 39% showed a negative attitude towards online shopping. Respondents also
reported that online shopping saved time; they could shop at any time of the day;
online shopping was not risky; it gave accurate description of products and online
shopping was as secure as traditional shopping. Results further indicated that there
was no significant relationship between gender, age, area of residence, educational
qualification, monthly income and attitude towards online shopping.
100 respondents to collect the data. The findings of the study revealed that
demographic factors like age, gender, income and education influence consumer
behaviour. It further concluded that higher the age, lesser is the intent to shop
online. The results also indicate that higher income groups are less attracted towards
online shopping. Education was directly related to the online shopping behaviour
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and the consumers with better education were more inclined towards shopping
online. The design of the website is the major influencing factor for the consumers
to shop online. The study also revealed that risk of performance, trust and security
have a substantial influence on customer behavior towards online shopping whereas
financial risk and delivery risk does not affect consumers buying behavior.
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convenient sampling technique. The data was analysed using percentages and
rankings. The result revealed that the consumers prefer shopping form Flipkart
followed by Amazon, Ebay, Myntra, Ajio and Olx. They mainly bought electronics
and mobile phones form these websites. The study concluded that consumer’s
reviews played an important part in affecting the consumer behaviour while
shopping online and majority of the consumers were satisfied with online shopping
experiences.
The study by Al-Alwan & Al-Shirawi (2015) aimed to find the factors that
influenced customers’ intentions and attitudes towards online shopping in Bahrain.
Independent variables used were perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, trust,
security, website features, culture and attitude against one dependent factor that was
intention to online shopping. A total of 170 questionnaires were distributed to five
local institutes. Data analysis was done using statistical package for social science
(SPSS) 18. Cronbach’s alpha test revealed that all the tested variables were reliable.
The results of the study showed that trust and security were significantly correlated
with consumers’ attitude. Consumer’s attitudes towards online shopping were
significantly correlated with intention to shopping online.
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dependent on their annual income. People with monthly income less than Rs 1,
00,000 prefer to pay for products via cash on delivery and those with income above
Rs 3, 00,000 prefer paying through internet banking. Consumers from various age
groups shop online on a regular basis.
Aimol et al., (2014) explored the factors affecting the consumer behaviour towards
online shopping. The study used purposive random sampling method to collect the
data from 105 respondents i.e. 55 male and 50 female from the age group 18-30
years who had experience of shopping online and the respondents were taken from
trans Yamuna area of Allahabad. The data was analysed using percentages,
frequency and chi square test. The study found that the respondents accessed the
internet daily for their work related queries. However, respondents occasionally
accessed the internet for shopping online. According to the research, the main
factors influencing online shopping behaviour of consumers were saving of time,
convenient shopping, information in detail related to products and easy comparison
of prices. In other words, convenience of shopping and availability of detailed
product information attracted the consumers towards shopping online.
Babar et al., (2014) examined the factors that influence the online shopping
behaviour of consumers. The data was collected through a survey to check the
consumers’ perceptions about e-shopping. Convenient sampling method was
adopted to reach the participants. Data was collected from 132 online shoppers and
analyzed for measures of usefulness, ease of use and financial risk. Among the
variables, usefulness was found to be more significant followed by ease of use and
financial risk in influencing the online shopping behaviour of consumers.
The study conducted by Singh (2014) focused on finding out the attitude of
consumers that used Flipkart for shopping online. The sample size was 40 online
consumers, 25 female and 15 male consumers of Flipkart between the age group of
20-27 years. It was found that younger generation which included consumers in age
group of 18-25 years was more interested in shopping online. The results showed
that the respondents were satisfied with shopping online from Flipkart and were
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mainly interested in buying apparel online that included men and women clothing
range along with accessories and electronics. Also, the users preferred shopping
online on a weekly basis, during discounts and festive seasons. The study further
revealed that the success of an online retail business is dependent on the popularity,
branding, image, unique and fair policies.
Lee (2014) explored older women’s experiences towards online apparel shopping.
Interview schedules and observations were undertaken that involved 13 women
between the age group of 66-73 years. These women were familiar with online
shopping practice and had purchased apparels at least thrice in the last two years.
The findings of the study revealed that the women were inclined to do shop for
apparels online because of the benefits of shopping online i.e. ease, better prices,
and larger number of product choices. It was also found that the respondents
worried about how the product would fit and if size of garment would be suitable.
The consumers were also concerned about the accuracy of information available on
the websites, the product return policy and the security of electronic payments. The
concerns related to the fit and size of the products was reduced by checking the
product reviews and consumer ratings of the product. Also, the consumer’s
purchase intention was positively affected by availability of shipping information
and good product return policy.
Mathew & Mishra (2014) examined the behaviour of online consumer in Delhi,
Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Gurgaon, Faridabad, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Hyderabad
and Cochin in terms of internet usage, perceived risks, and website attributes. The
respondents were selected using quota-sampling technique. The data was collected
through an online survey using a structured questionnaire that was distributed to
600 consumers. The results revealed that online buyers in India had a high level of
perceived risk and were worried about the delivery of the products bought using
online shopping. It was also found that information quality, product range and after
sales service were most preferred website attributes which influence Indian online
users behaviour.
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Goswammi et al., (2013) conducted a study to understand the consumer’s attitude
on internet marketing. Convenient sampling method was used to collect the data
from 46 respondents. Data was analysed using percentage analysis. The research
revealed that a majority of consumers were satisfied with online shopping. The
results concluded that 35% of consumers purchased books followed by 30%
consumers who bought apparel and 22% consumers who bought other products
such as electronics, pen drives and mobile phones etc. The study further revealed
that 13% of consumers purchased gift items online.
Jusoh & Ling (2012) studied the factors that influence consumers' attitude towards
e-commerce purchases through online shopping. The study also investigated the
impact of socio-demographic, pattern of online buying and purchase perception on
consumers' attitude towards online shopping. Convenience sampling method was
used to collect the data. The sample size consisted of 100 respondents of Taman
Tawas Permai, Ipoh. One-way ANOVA were used to assess the differences between
independent and dependent variables. The independent variables taken were age,
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income, occupation and pattern of online buying. The dependant variable included
in the study was attitude towards online shopping. The findings revealed that there
was no significant difference in attitude towards online shopping among age group,
occupation group and types of goods group but there is a significant difference in
attitude towards online shopping among income group. Pearson's correlation was
used to assess the relationship between independent and dependent variables. The
independent variables included were experience related to e-commerce, time in
hours spent using the internet, perception of product, customer service of the retailer
and consumers' risk. Also, the dependant variables used included attitude towards
online shopping. The results concluded that there was an important relationship
between e-commerce experience, product perception, customers' service and
attitude towards online shopping among the respondents. However, there was no
significant relationship between hours spent on internet, consumers' risk and
attitude towards online shopping among the respondents.
Hilaludin & Cheng (2014) identified factors influencing customer satisfaction and
e-loyalty among the young adults. Convenience sampling method was used and data
was collected from 193 respondents from the Klang Valley, Malaysia. The results
revealed that only e-service quality and information quality had an effect on
consumers’ satisfaction. It was also found that consumers satisfaction had a
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positively impact on e-loyalty. On the other hand, website design and security did
not show a significant relationship towards consumer satisfaction.
Alam & Yasim (2010) reported that that design of the website, website reliability,
variety of products available and product delivery were the influencing factors that
affect the consumer’s behaviour while online shopping.
Adnan (2014) studied the factors that affect online purchasing behaviour of
Pakistani consumers. These factors were perceived risks, hedonic motivation,
design of the website and various psychological factors namely trust and security
factors. Convenience sampling was used to collect data from 100 online shoppers.
The results indicated that perceived advantages and psychological factors had a
positive effect on the online buying behaviour of consumers while perceived risk
had a negative impact. Also, factors like design of the website and hedonic
motivations did not have any noteworthy impact on the customer’s intent to shop
online. Psychological factors had the highest impact on online shopping behaviour.
Therefore, trust towards online vendors and security issues were considered the
major influencing factors in determining online buying behaviour of Pakistani
consumers.
A study was conducted on different demographic factors and the effect perceived
risk, perceived enjoyment, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use have on
online buying behaviour of consumers (Jain et al., 2014). The sample size was 160
online shoppers from Delhi who belonged to different age groups, income groups,
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occupations and had previous experiences of online buying. The data analysis was
done by statistical package for social science. The study concluded that perceived
risk had a negative impact on consumers’ online shopping behaviour. However,
perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and perceived enjoyment did not have
any significant impact on consumers’ attitude towards online shopping. The study
further revealed that perceived risk had a major effect on online buying behaviour
of consumers in Delhi as the consumers were worried about being cheated, delivery
of inferior quality of products and product return policy etc.
Yeniçeri & Akin (2013) studied the impact of perceived risk on online buying
behaviour of consumers. This study was conducted on internet users. The
quantitative data which was gathered from 237 respondents was analysed. The
results revealed that the product risk is the risk of product not being able to deliver
as per consumer expectations. It was clear from the findings that perceived risk of
consumers affects their online shopping behaviour. Further, the consumers are not
able to access the product properly due to in availability of physical inspection,
namely, touch and feel of the product, brand colours, incorrect or incomplete
information about the features of the product which leads to an increase in the risk
related to product’s performance.
The purpose of the study is to check the effect of quality of service offered by
websites on attributes like perceived apparel quality, perceived service quality,
consumer value perception of apparel shopping and future purchase intention. Data
was collected from 361 female students from colleges of two different regions in
United States using convenient sampling technique. Ninety seven percent of the
respondents were in the age group of 18 -23 years. Structural equation modelling
technique was used which revealed a positive relationship between the above
mentioned attributes. The study concludes that high quality apparels should also be
offered by online retailers along with good customer service in order to achieve
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better satisfaction levels while shopping online and positive behavioural intent (Kim
& Damhorst, 2010).
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CHAPTER III
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Sample size
The population of this study includes the shoppers who had purchased
apparel products through online shopping. The samples selected for the study were
200 respondents. Out of which, 90 were male and 110 were female respondents
between age groups of 21-30 years and 31-40 years.
The population of the study included only online shoppers who purchased
apparel through online shopping. The sample selected for the study was 60 female
online shoppers who bought apparel for themselves at least once a month. The
sample size included of females between age groups of 21-40 years.
Sample Design
Research design is a plan in which the method and processes for collecting the
information needed to carry out the research work have been designed. The tools of
data analysis have also been finalized under research design. The present study was
descriptive in nature. The methodology has been planned in two phases for smooth
execution of the research work.
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Research plan of study
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Sample Area
The respondents involved in the research study were selected from the Trichy
city. Only those respondents were taken as samples that had an experience of online
shopping.
Statistical Tool
The collected data was coded, tabulated and analyzed using various statistical
techniques. Statistical technique used such as mean, standard deviation, test and
coefficient of correlation were used. All the statistical analysis was done through
SPSS 22.0.
29
CHAPTER IV
The present research has been undertaken to assess apparel attitude and
develop the guidelines for online retailer and consumers. The following sections
highlight the results that have been systematically presented. In order to test the
proposed hypothesis, t-test and Pearson’s coefficient of correlation were applied.
Keeping the objectives in mind, the results are presented and discussed under the
following subheads:
1. To explore the attitude of male and female shoppers towards online shopping
2. To study the level of consumer satisfaction with website trust of males and
females
3. To study the level of consumer satisfaction with website design of males and
females
4. To assess consumer satisfaction level of males and females towards perceived
apparel quality based on online shopping
5. Identifying shortcomings and create guidelines
6. To study online websites and identifying their shortcomings
7. To create guidelines for consumers when shopping for apparel online
30
PHASE-I
Under this section an attempt has been made to compile personal attributes of the
respondents such as gender, age, employment status, annual income and marital
status of the respondents.
Gender N %
Male 90 45
Female 110 55
Gender: The above table shows that 55% of the respondents are female and
the remaining 45% respondents are male. The results reveal that females like to shop
apparel online as compared to their male counterparts. Dahiya (2012) reported the
impact of demographic factors of consumers on online shopping behavior in India.
The study revealed that online shopping is significantly affected by various
demographic factors like age, gender, marital status, family size and income. The
results further show that women buy apparel more as compared to men. Moreover,
women are impulsive buyers compared to males and are attracted towards various
promotions and offers; therefore, they buy more frequently. The study further
revealed that it is not age and income but family size that influences the amount spent
on internet shopping.
31
60%
50%
40%
Male
30% Female
20%
10%
0%
Male Female
Male Female
N % N %
Age (in years)
21-30 58 29 70 35
31-40 32 16 40 20
Age: The results of table show that the female respondents belonging to 21-30 years
of age group prefer online shopping (35%) as compared to their male counterpart
(29%). Even in the age group of 31-40 years, females have a higher preference for
online shopping as compared to males. In age group 31-40 years, 20% females prefer
online shopping as compared to 16% males.
32
The above table indicates that female in the age group of 21-30 years, spend more
time surfing the internet, with the result younger females are more inclined towards
shopping online. As females with younger age group are more frequently users of
internet on a daily basis, they are more open to other ways of shopping as compared
to higher age group i.e. 31-40 years.
35%
30%
25%
20% Male
15% Female
10%
5%
0%
33
Table-4.3: Distribution of online respondents on the basis of employed status
(N=200)
Male Female
N % N %
Employment status
Employed 34 17 72 36
Unemployed 56 28 38 19
Employment status: The results of the table show that online shopping is mainly done
by females who are employed (36%) compared to males (17%). But in the category
of unemployed respondents, males (28%) were found to be more inclined towards
online shopping as compared to their female counterparts (19%).
40%
35%
30%
25% Male
20% Female
15%
10%
5%
0%
EmployedUnemployed
34
Table-4.4: Distribution of online respondents on the basis of annual income
(N=200)
3,00,001 -5,00,000 29 14 35 18
5,00,001 -7,00,000 9 5 26 13
More than7,00,000 14 7 37 19
Annual income: The results show that female respondents (19%), earning more than
7 lacs per annum and prefer online shopping compared to male respondents (7%).
Even in the income group of 3-5 lacs per annum, 18% females shop more as
compared to males (14%). There was a hardly any difference between male (13%)
and female (12%) respondents of income group with less than 3 lacs per annum.
However, respondents who earn 5-7 lacs per annum show a wide difference in
shopping behavior. In this category, 13% females prefer online shopping compared to
5% males.
35
20%
15%
10% Male
Female
5%
0%
Less Than3,00,001-5,00,001-More than
3,00,0005,00,0007,00,0007,00,000
Male Female
N % N %
Marital status
Married 47 24 42 21
Unmarried 53 27 64 32
Marital status: The results of table show that maximum amount of online shopping is
mainly done by unmarried males and females as compared to married males and
females. Unmarried group is the largest group representing 59% of the respondents.
Further results show that 32% of unmarried female respondents purchase online
apparel as compared to 27% male respondents of the same category. Twenty-four
percent of married male respondents prefer to buy apparel online as compared to 21%
female respondents.
36
35%
30%
25%
20% Male
15% Female
10%
5%
0%
MarriedUnmarried
Male Female
N % N %
Frequency of online shopping
Once a week 10 5 7 4
2-3 weeks 12 6 8 4
Once a month 46 23 64 32
2-3 month 22 11 31 16
37
Thus, the above table indicates that frequency of online shopping is utmost done once
a month by females. A similar result was found in a study by Yan (2006) that most of
35%
30%
25%
20%
Male
15%
Female
10%
5%
0%
To explore the attitude of male and female shoppers towards online shopping
H1: There will be a significant difference in the attitudes of males and females
towards online shopping
38
Table-4.7: Attitudes of males and females towards online shopping (N=200)
Significance
level
Variable Gender N Mean SD t-value
The results of table 4.7 show that the mean value of ease of use for male and female
respondents is 12.71 and 12.59 respectively and SD is 1.71 and 1.73 respectively. The
above table indicates that t-value of ease of use is 0.490, which is (p<0.05) not
significant. Hence, the alternative hypothesis is rejected at 0.05* level i.e. there is no
significant difference between the attitude of male and female shoppers towards ease
of use while shopping online.
To study the level of consumer satisfaction with website trust of males and
females
H2: There will be a significant difference in the attitudes of males and females
towards website trust.
39
Variable Gender N Mean SD t-value Significance
level
The results of table 4.8 show that there is no significant difference in the
attitude of male and female shoppers in terms of trust towards website while
shopping online. Mean value for males is higher than mean value for females, with
25.56 and 24.43 respectively and SD is 4.39 and 4.45 respectively. The obtained t-
value is 1.797 (p<0.05) which is not significant at 0.05* level of significance.
To study the level of consumer satisfaction with website design of males and
females
H3: There will be a significant difference in the attitudes of males and females
towards website design
Significance
level
40
Variable Gender N Mean SD t-value
The results of table 4.9 indicate that the mean score of males is M= 7.87 and
females is M=7.96 regarding the information displayed on the website. Their SD is
found to be 1.82 and 1.63 respectively. The critical ratio is found to be 0.351, p<0.05,
which is not significant. This indicates that proposed hypothesis has been rejected. It
means there is no significant difference between males and females in their attitude
towards online shopping in terms of information displayed on the website.
H4: There will be a significant difference in the attitudes of males and females
towards perceived apparel quality
Significance
Variable Gender N Mean SD t-value level
41
Male 90 18.21 4.19
Appearance Female 110 18.28 4.21 0.118 0.906
Male 90 16.84 3.53
Material Female 110 16.18 3.52 1.320 0.188
Performance/ Male 90 17.52 3.11
Durability/ Garment Female 110 17.00 2.48 1.296 0.197
care
Male 90 18.26 3.68
Style, Design / Fit Female 110 17.76 3.90 0.929 0.354
Garment construction/ Male 90 15.07 2.33
Workmanship Female 110 15.02 2.33 0.152 0.879
Male 90 20.78 3.01
Packaging /Delivery Female 110 21.52 2.70 1.825 0.070
The result of table 10 indicates that mean value of appearance in terms of perceived
apparel quality for males is 18.21, whereas SD is 4.19. The mean value for females is
18.28 and SD is 4.21. The obtained‘t’ value is 0.118 (p<0.05) and it is not significant
at 0.05* level. Hence, the alternative hypothesis is rejected. It means there is no
significant difference in the attitude of males and females for appearance towards
online shopping. Further result indicates that there is no significant difference in male
and female attitude for material towards online shopping. The mean value of material
for males and females is 16.84 and 16.18 and SD is 3.53 and 3.52 respectively. The
obtained‘t’ value is 1.320 (p<0.05). Hence, the alternative hypothesis is rejected at
0.05* level.
H5: There will be a positive correlation between males and females attitudes
towards online shopping and website trust
H6: There will be a positive correlation between males and females attitudes
towards online shopping and website design
42
H7: There will be a positive correlation between males and females attitudes
towards online shopping and perceived apparel quality
Table-4.11: Correlation of males and females attitudes with website trust, website
design and perceived apparel quality (N=200)
The result of above table 4.11 shows the relationship between attitude of male and
female shoppers towards online shopping with website trust, website design and
perceived apparel quality. The results found that there is positive relationship
between website trust (r = 0.531, p> 0.01) and attitude of male and female shoppers
towards online shopping. Hence, the alternative hypothesis H5 was accepted at 0.01*
level of significance. The H6 hypothesis is that website design was positively related
with attitude of male and female shoppers. Hence, it is proved that the relationship
which is significantly positive (r = 0.464) at 0.01* level. It means that website quality
and display features of a website attract consumers to buy apparel online. The results
further indicate that there is a positive relationship between perceived apparel quality
and attitude of male and female shoppers towards online shopping (r = 0. 305,
p>0.01). Hence, the alternative hypothesis H7 is accepted at 0.01* level of
significance. Hence, it is concluded that there is a positive relationship among all the
factors mentioned above.
43
PHASE-II
This phase deals with assessing online apparel website and identifies the
shortcomings. The different categories of women apparel for online shopping
websites have been explored. It has been found that a number of options are
available on the websites. The websites have been ranked as excellent, very good,
good, fair and poor on the basis of level of satisfaction of females towards online
shopping websites. These websites have been compared to identify the best
presentation of apparel in women segment. The weighted mean score and rank
44
obtained by different websites for various categories of women apparel has been
displayed in the table mentioned below:
Table-4.12: Weighted mean score and ranks assigned to websites on the basis of
consumers perception towards categories of apparel for women wear (N=60)
Ethnic wear 3.3 (II) 2 (V) 2.9 (III) 4.1 (I) 2.4 (IV)
Western wear 3.3 (III) 3.8 (I) 1.9 (V) 3.4 (II) 2.5 (IV)
Lingerie &
Sleep wear
3.7 (I) 2.3 (IV) 3.5 (II) 3.0 (III) 2.2 (V)
Sports wear 2.6 (III) 3.9 (I) 2.5 (IV) 3.6 (II) 2.2 (V)
Total 3.2 (II) 3.0 (III) 2.7 (IV) 3.5 (I) 2.3 (V)
The result of the table no. 4.12 shows that the best collections in different categories
of women apparel are available on Flipkart as it has the highest WMS of 3.5. This
indicates that consumers believe that Flipkart has the best collection available along
with different variety of apparel and price range is adequate. It has products available
from a very less to very high range in terms of amount. The second best collection for
women apparel is available on Myntra with a WMS of 3.2 followed by Amazon, Ajio
and Jabong with WMS of 3.0, 2.7 and 2.3 respectively. The above table also reveals
the WMS for various categories of women wear available on online shopping
45
websites. In the category of ethnic wear, highest score is obtained by Flipkart with
WMS of 4.1 followed by Myntra with a WMS of 3.3, Ajio with WMS of 2.9, Jabong
(2.4) and Amazon (2.0). The maximum number of respondents seem to be satisfied
with the ethnic wear available on Flipkart for the reason that different patterns, style,
combination of fabric, types of material are available on Flipkart followed by Myntra
and other mentioned websites.
In the category of western wear, females gave maximum score to Amazon (3.8) there
after Flipkart (3.4), Myntra (3.3), Jabong (2.5) and Ajio (1.9). It is clear that the
consumers are satisfied with a wide range of apparel available at Amazon. They think
that the range of apparel is available according to the trend and occasion.
Further results show that in the category of lingerie and sleepwear highest score has
been obtained by Myntra with WMS of 3.7 compared to Ajio with WMS of 3.5,
followed by Flipkart, Amazon and Jabong with WMS of 3.0, 2.3 and 2.2 respectively.
Results indicate that consumers are more comfortable buying lingerie and sleepwear
from Myntra as they feel that better variety and comfort is provided by the products
available on Myntra. The maximum numbers of consumers are satisfied with the
quality of lingerie and sleepwear available on this website.
Amazon got the maximum score with WMS of 3.9 when it comes to sportswear,
WMS of Flipkart, Myntra, Ajio and Jabong are 3.6, 2.6, 2.5 and 2.2 respectively. The
respondents are more comfortable buying sportswear from Amazon as they feel that
the products are more durable and long lasting as compared to products available on
other websites. It seems that the respondents feel they can get exclusive collection
from various brands only on Myntra.
It can be observed that all the websites offer a variety of apparel. However, the
variety of products for a particular section varies from one website to another. The
maximum numbers of respondents are satisfied with Flipkart because it has the best
division of categories, wide range of products, trendy collections, best product quality
46
and price range available from low to high. It is followed by Amazon, Ajio and
Jabong next in order.
Table-4.13: Weighted mean score and ranks assigned to websites on the basis of
consumers perception towards brands available online (N=60)
The results of above table indicate that the maximum numbers of brands i.e.
national, international and high end brands/premium brands are available on Amazon
with WMS of 4.1 and Flipkart with WMS of 3.7, followed by WMS of Myntra was
3.0, Ajio and Jabong had same WMS of 2.0. It is clear that Amazon displays the best
collection of products along with the variety of brands. Consumers are more satisfied
with the products they buy from Amazon as they have mostly all the brands available
from which they can choose for the best product. The consumers are also satisfied
because they can compare the products available of various brands. This gives them
greater choice to buy the best product amongst available products. It is observed that
Amazon has best display of brands and has an easy navigation to look for any desired
brand whether national, international or designer brands as the brands are well
categorized and arranged in an alphabetical order on the homepage of the website.
Consumers can easily pick the products according to the brands they like and are
satisfied with the products available on Amazon website. However, this was not
found in other websites.
47
Table-4.14: Weighted mean score and ranks assigned to websites on the basis of
consumers perception towards discounts/offers available online (N=60)
Percentage based
discount
3.1 (III) 3.9 (I) 2.1 (V) 3.5 (II) 2.2 (IV)
Free shipping 2.8 (III) 3.9 (I) 2.5 (IV) 3.6 (II) 1.7 (V)
Festive discounts 2.9 (III) 3.9 (I) 2.9 (IV) 3.4 (II) 1.8 (V)
End of season/
Clearance sale
3.1 (III) 3.8 (I) 2.6 (IV) 3.4 (II) 2.3 (V)
Total 2.9 (III) 3.8 (I) 2.5 (IV) 3.4 (II) 2.0 (V)
The table no.4.14 reveals that the consumers believe that maximum discounts and
different types of offers in different categories of women apparel are available on
Amazon with a WMS of 3.8. The consumers feel that whenever they buy a product
the best deals or discounts are available on Amazon as compared to other websites.
The second best discounts and offers available are Flipkart with WMS of 3.4. These
websites are followed by Myntra (2.9), Ajio (2.5) and Jabong (2.0). The results show
that highest percentage based discount is available on Amazon with WMS of 3.9
followed by Flipkart (3.5). The WMS of Myntra (3.1), Jabong (2.2) and Ajio (2.1) as
most of the customers are satisfied with the heavy percentage of discounts available
on Amazon. Similarly, it is also seen that the maximum free shipping facility is
48
available on Amazon (3.9) there after Flipkart (3.6), Myntra (2.8), Ajio (2.5) and
Jabong (1.7). It is also found that delivery is usually free on all the websites but a
minimum purchase order of Rs. 500 or 1000 is mandatory for the free delivery. In
case, the value of order is lesser than the minimum purchase order, the shipping cost
is charged. However, the consumer is offered free delivery when the standard
delivery option of 2-4 Business Days is selected by the consumers. The orders in
which a different delivery method is opted like express delivery, consumers have to
pay extra charges for the preferred delivery method.
Further results reveal that better festive discounts are available on Amazon with
WMS of 3.9 as compared to other websites like Flipkart with WMS of 3.4 followed
by Myntra and Ajio (2.9) and Jabong (1.8). The consumers feel that Amazon has
better festive discounts available and communicate it to the consumers well in
advance and send various notifications through messages and emails mentioning
about the available discounts and coupon codes to avail these festive discount offers.
The maximum score has been gained by Amazon with WMS of 3.8 when it comes to
end of season/clearance sale followed by Flipkart (3.4), Myntra (3.1), Ajio (2.6) and
Jabong (2.3). Most of the consumers are satisfied with the end of season sale offers
from Amazon as they think that the best offers are available on Amazon when
compared to other websites. It can be concluded that various types of discounts are
usually available on all the websites but the availability of discounts depend upon the
policy of the website. The consumers feel that the greatest discounts are available
only on Amazon like percentage based discounts, free shipping, festive discount and
end of season/clearance sale. However, Jabong offers the least number of discounts as
compared to its counterparts because the consumers are not satisfied with the offers
and discounts available when buying apparel from Jabong.
Table-4.15: Weighted mean score and ranks assigned to websites on the basis of
consumers perception towards product view available online (N=60)
49
Product WMS WMS WMS WMS WMS
presentation
(Rank) (Rank) (Rank) (Rank) (Rank)
Front view 3.3 (III) 3.6 (I) 2.7 (IV) 3.5 (II) 1.8 (V)
Back view 3.1 (III) 3.4 (I) 2.3 (V) 3.4 (II) 2.7 (IV)
Side view 2.6 (III) 4 (I) 1.8 (V) 4 (II) 2.4 (IV)
Zoom 2.8 (III) 3.5 (II) 2.2 (V) 3.6 (I) 2.8 (IV)
Total 2.9 (III) 3.6 (I) 2.2 (V) 3.6 (II) 2.4 (IV)
The results of above table reveal that Amazon and Flipkart obtain the highest score in
the category of product presentation when compared to the other websites.
Consumers are satisfied with the product view and while buying apparel through
Amazon and Flipkart as they feel that the products have been displayed in a better
way on other websites. It has been seen that the front, back, side and zoom views
available on Amazon and Flipkart are clear and sharper than on the other websites
available for online shopping. The consumers are satisfied with these views of the
products and these views also help the consumers make buying decisions more easily.
The WMS of Amazon and Flipkart score the same i.e., 3.6 followed by Myntra,
Jabong and Ajio with WMS of 2.9, 2.4 and 2.2 respectively. The results of table no.
4.15 indicates that the highest score has been achieved for the presentation of front
view, by Amazon with WMS of 3.6 followed by Flipkart with a WMS of 3.5, Myntra
(3.3), Ajio (2.7) and Jabong (1.8). Most of the consumers have been found to be
satisfied with the Front view of apparel available on Amazon when compared to other
websites. The highest value has been obtained by Flipkart and Amazon (3.4) when it
comes to the display of Back view followed by Myntra, Jabong and Ajio with WMS
of 3.1, 2.7 and 2.3 respectively. The consumers feel that the Back view available on
Amazon and Flipkart seems to be clear and are always available as compared to other
websites. The results further show that females give the maximum score to Amazon
and Flipkart with WMS of 4.0, followed by Myntra (2.6), Jabong (2.4) and Ajio (1.8)
50
for Side view of the apparel. The consumers feel that better side view of the apparel is
always available on Amazon. Similarly, the consumers are also equally satisfied by
the Side views of the apparel available on Flipkart. The results reveal that in case of
Zoom, the highest score has been achieved by Flipkart with WMS of 3.6 as compared
to Amazon with WMS of 3.5. Their after Myntra and Jabong had the same WMS of
2.8 followed by Ajio (2.2). The consumers are satisfied with the Zoom view for
apparel available on Flipkart and Amazon. However, little difference in opinion of
consumers has been found due to which Amazon score a WMS of 3.5 which is just
below the WMS of Flipkart (3.6).
It is clear from the above findings that the different views of the products displayed
on the website inspire the consumers for purchase and gives clarity of the apparel for
shopping online. The results have been analyzed in terms of front, back and side view
and the best presentation is seen on Amazon and Flipkart. Both the websites helps the
consumers in making the buying decisions.
Table-4.16: Weighted mean score and ranks assigned to websites on the basis of
consumers perception towards product description available online (N=60)
Sizes 2.8 (III) 3.7 (II) 2.2 (V) 3.8 (I) 2.3 (IV)
Fabric material 3 (III) 3.6 (I) 2.5 (IV) 3.5 (II) 2.3 (V)
Colours 2.9 (III) 3.3 (II) 2.6 (IV) 3.5 (I) 2.6 (V)
Fabric pattern 2.7 (IV) 3 (II) 2.6 (V) 3.5 (I) 3 (III)
Garment length 3.2 (III) 3.4 (I) 2.4 (V) 3.3 (II) 2.5 (IV)
Sleeve length 3 (III) 3.4 (I) 2.5 (V) 3.3 (II) 2.6 (IV)
51
Neckline 3 (III) 3.4 (II) 2.3 (V) 3.7 (I) 2.4 (IV)
Closure 3.5 (II) 3.9 (I) 2.2 (V) 2.8(III) 2.4 (IV)
Fit 2.8 (III) 3.5 (I) 2.5 (IV) 3.5 (II) 2.5 (V)
Value addition 2.8 (IV) 3.2 (I) 3 (III) 3.2 (II) 2.6 (V)
Care instructions
Total 2.9 (III) 3.4 (I) 2.5 (IV) 3.4 (II) 2.4 (V)
The above findings revealed that best description of products are available on
Amazon and Flipkart with same WMS of 3.4 and the consumers are satisfied with
the products purchased from these websites, followed by Myntra (2.9), Ajio (2.5) and
Jabong (2.4). They reported that Amazon and Flipkart clearly mentions detailed
information related to apparel such as fabric quality, sizes chart, colour of the fabric,
design of the apparel, garment fit, and embellishment of the garment is clearly
mentioned with the picture of product. Since, the consumers are not able to feel the
fabric, henceforth the consumers have to rely on description. This type of information
is helpful for the consumer as they can easily apprehend the quality of fabric and
decide what kind of apparel should be purchased through these online websites. The
results of the above table show that maximum numbers of consumers are satisfied
with the sizes available on Flipkart with WMS of 3.8 followed by Amazon (3.7),
Myntra (2.8), Jabong (2.3) and Ajio (2.2). However, the highest score regarding
fabric details were obtained by Amazon (3.6) trailed by Flipkart (3.5), Myntra (3.0),
Ajio (2.5) and Jabong (2.3). Further results show that highest score obtained for
colour was by Flipkart with WMS of 3.5 followed by Amazon with WMS of 3.3,
Myntra (2.9), Ajio and Jabong had same WMS i.e. (2.6). It is also found that
consumers are satisfied with the availability of size and variety of colour on Flipkart.
52
The consumers feel that size chart mentioned is appropriate. Similarly, name of
colour is properly mention as well different shades of colours are available on
Flipkart. However, Amazon provides best fabric material description. It is clearly
mentions the name of the fabrics used and its percentage blend. The results further
show that most of the consumers are satisfied with Fabric pattern available on
Flipkart (3.5) followed by Amazon and Jabong had same WMS of (3.0), Myntra (2.7)
and Ajio (2.6). Description of garment length is clearly mention on website of
Amazon (3.4) followed by Flipkart, Myntra, Jabong and Ajio respectively. Similar
results were also obtained for sleeve length on Amazon (3.4) and Flipkart (3.3)
followed by Myntra, Jabong and Ajio with WMS of 3.0, 2.6 and 2.5 respectively. On
the contrary, neckline got maximum score on Flipkart (3.7) compared to Amazon
(3.4). This was followed by Myntra (3.0), Jabong (2.4) and Ajio (2.3). The consumers
feel that the fabric pattern and garment neckline description are clearly available on
Flipkart. Results further concluded that closure gain highest score by Amazon with
WMS of 3.9 followed by Myntra (3.5), Flipkart (2.8), Jabong (2.4) and Ajio (2.2).
Though, maximum score obtained for fit for both Amazon and Flipkart with WMS of
(3.5) after that Myntra (2.8), Ajio and Jabong had same score (2.5). Highest WMS
was on Amazon (3.2) when it comes to value addition followed by Flipkart with
WMS of 3.2, Ajio (3.0), Myntra (2.8) and Jabong (2.6). Utmost score was obtained
for care instructions on Flipkart (3.6) compared to Amazon (3.5) followed by Myntra,
Ajio and Jabong with 3.0, 2.7 and 2.0 respectively. The information related to apparel
closures and value addition is usually available on Amazon resulting in satisfaction to
consumers. The fit of a garment however is available on both Amazon and Flipkart. It
was also found that the care instructions were best mentioned on Flipkart due to
which the consumers were satisfied. The study revealed that the detailed description
of a product in terms of colour, size, fit, garment length, sleeve length, closures etc
helps the consumers make better buying decisions and help them decide the right
product. The consumers believe that information related to apparel is usually well
described on Amazon and Flipkart as compared to other websites. Hence, the
53
consumers are clear about the apparel they are buying without physically touching the
apparel.
Results of the table indicate that female consumers believe that cash on delivery is the
best payment option available while shopping online. The highest score is obtained
by cash on delivery with a WMS of 4.6 compared to other payment options like
credit/ debit card with WMS of 3.8 followed by Net banking/ Phone banking (3.2)
and EMI availability (1.2). Consumers believe that cash on delivery is the best option
while purchasing online because they feel that this method of payment is simple and
secure. They believe that paying for a product should be made on delivery.
54
Table-4.18: Weighted mean score and ranks assigned to websites on the basis of
consumers perception towards payment options available online (N=60)
The results in the above table show that Myntra scores the highest rank for payment
options available amongst all the websites with a WMS of 4.0 followed by WMS of
Amazon (3.6), Flipkart (3.0), Ajio (2.4) and Jabong with WMS of 1.9. It is clear from
the above table that best options for making an online payment are available on
Myntra. The consumers feel that Myntra offers a variety of payment options like
paying through net banking, debit or credit cards and different online wallets as
compared to other websites. However, minimum payment options are available on
Jabong. It has been observed that Myntra has a variety of payment options available
and consumers feel that cash on delivery is the best option. This method is safer. The
females reported that they are not comfortable sharing their personal information
related to accounts and credit card. They feel that cash on delivery is the best and
safer payment option while buying apparel online as they do not have to fill in their
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account information and the perceived risk for cash on delivery is less than any other
payment options.
Table-4.19: Weighted mean score and ranks assigned to websites on the basis of
consumers perception towards delivery options available online (N=60)
2.7 (III) 4.4 (I) 2.4 (IV) 3.9 (II) 1.3 (V)
The results of table no. 4.19 reveal that the maximum score for delivery options is
obtained by Amazon with WMS of 4.4 after that Flipkart (3.9), Myntra (2.7), Ajio
(2.4) and Jabong (1.3). This means Amazon gives the best delivery options like
express delivery within one day delivery option. This is usually chargeable and
depends on the area to which the product is to be delivered. It also has good delivery
options available like morning delivery, same day delivery, one day delivery, two day
delivery, 2-4 days, 4-7 days and 7-10 business days’ delivery options. These options
have different charges depending on the time and duration. Facility is also provided
by the website regarding delivery of the products on a scheduled day and time for
special occasions like birthday or anniversary. These shipping options are only
available in select cities and can be checked by entering the pin code of the city. The
shipping speed of the Amazon is the best. For standard delivery option, minimum
order of Rs. 499/- or Rs 999/- is necessary else there are delivery charges. An express
delivery option in which products are delivered in 1 or 2 days is also available on
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Flipkart, Myntra and sometimes on Ajio. It was also found that Amazon
automatically refunds the shipping charges when a consumer does not get the
delivery by the scheduled date and time. The delivery charges are refunded to the
original payment method within 3-4 business days. In case the consumer has opted
for Cash on Delivery (COD), they would need to contact customer service to get a
full refund of delivery charges.
Table-4.20: Weighted mean score and ranks assigned to websites on the basis of
consumers perception towards product return policy available online (N=60)
The above results indicate that highest score is achieved by Amazon for product
return policy is 4.0. There after Flipkart (3.8), Myntra (3.1), Jabong (2.4) and Ajio
(1.5). Hence, it is concluded that product return policy was the best on Amazon
because respondents do not face any problem while returning the products which is
not in case of the other websites.
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Table-4.21: Weighted mean score and ranks assigned to websites on the basis of
consumers perception towards various criteria for online shopping (N=60)
Total 3.0 (III) 3.6 (I) 2.2 (IV) 3.5 (II) 2.0 (V)
The results of above table indicate the highest WMS was obtained by Amazon (3.6)
followed by Flipkart (3.5), Myntra (3.0), Ajio (2.2 and Jabong (2.0). Therefore, it is
concluded that respondents are satisfied with the Amazon’s website on the basis of
Brands, Discount/Offers, Product view, Product description, Delivery options and
Product return policy. Variety in women apparel categories on Flipkart is greater as
compared to other websites. The customers are equally satisfied with the Product
view and Product description available on Amazon and Flipkart.
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conducted by Upasana et al., (2015) which revealed that the most popular website
among consumers for shopping online was Flipkart (23%) Although, most of the
consumers were also aware about EBay (21%) followed by Homeshop (18%), Jabong
(12%) and Ajio (10%). Jayasubramanian et al., (2015) also conducted a study and
found that majority of the respondents (68%) visited Flipkart.com.
4
3.6 3.5
3.5
3
3
2.5
2 2.2
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
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Table-4.22: Ranks assigned to websites by the consumers’ on the basis of problems
faced while shopping online (N=60)
Improper product
description
6 10% 4 7% 12 20% 2 3% 7 12%
Product delivery
extended
2 3% 3 5% 5 8% 2 3% 8 13%
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Product return 5 8% 2 3% 6 10% 4 7% 13 22%
policy
The results of the above table reveal that maximum number of consumers face
problems related to size while ordering from Ajio (20%) followed by Jabong (15%),
Myntra (8%) and Amazon (7%). The consumers reported that they were not satisfied
with Ajio as they did not receive the same size of apparel as ordered. However, only
3% of consumers faced problems with size while ordering apparel from Flipkart.
Maximum numbers of consumers were satisfied with the size of apparel they
received from Flipkart followed by Amazon, Myntra and Jabong.
Eighteen percent of the consumers reported that on the website of Jabong the
products they received were not of the same colour as described or displayed on the
website. Similar problems were found in other websites such as Ajio (15%), Myntra
(12%), and Flipkart (5%). However, maximum numbers of consumer were satisfied
with Amazon but only 3% of the respondents reported that variations in the colour of
the product were found.
The results further revealed that maximum numbers of consumer were not
satisfied with the product view options available on Ajio (23%). They face similar
problems while shopping from other websites like Myntra (8%), Amazon and Jabong
(5%). A very few consumers had problems with the views of product displayed on
Flipkart (3%). In other words, the product view options available on Flipkart were
found better and consumer were satisfied as compared to other online websites.
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table indicate that the description of products mentioned on Ajio (20%) was not
appropriate. This was followed by Jabong (12%), Myntra (10%) and Amazon (7%).
The consumers were not satisfied with the information related to the products
available on these websites. However, the consumers reported that the information
about products available on Flipkart (3%) was better when compared to other
websites.
The results further indicate that consumers were disappointed with the quality
of apparel they had received when they ordered from Jabong (22%). Also, the quality
of the products delivered was not up to the mark. The products received were not
same as mentioned on the website. Next in order in terms of dissatisfaction were Ajio
(13%), Myntra (7%) and Flipkart (5%). Consumers felt cheated as they thought they
were charged more than the actual price of the apparel. However, the product quality
on Amazon (3%) was found to be good when compared to other websites. Consumers
were satisfied with products available on Amazon, as the quality desired by them
matched the quality of products received.
Ten percent of the consumers felt that they did not receive the same garment
as displayed on the Jabong followed by Ajio (7%), Flipkart (5%) and Myntra (3%).
However, consumers were satisfied with Amazon (2%) because consumer felt that
Amazon provides the same garment as displayed on the website.
The above table indicate that 20% of the consumers reported that Ajio has
higher shipping costs as compared to other websites. It was followed by 15% of
consumers who reported that shipping charges available on Jabong were higher
compared to Myntra (12%) and Flipkart (8%). However, shipping charges available
on Amazon (7%) were lesser as compared to shipping charges on other websites.
Thus, consumers were more satisfied with Amazon as compared to other website.
The results show that 13% of the consumers face issues with the delivery time
of products from Jabong followed by Ajio (8%) and Amazon (5%). They reported
that products were never received on time i.e. as mentioned at the time order.
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However, maximum numbers of the consumer were satisfied with the products
delivered from Myntra and Flipkart (3%) as the product was delivered on time.
Twenty percent of consumers felt that Jabong does not have good customer
service. There was followed by Ajio, where 15% of the consumers reported the same
issue. However, the consumers however, were satisfied to some extent with the
customer service provided by Myntra and Amazon (8%). Flipkart (3%) has the best
customer service amongst all websites as the consumers got a quick resolution for
their queries with minimum problems.
The results revealed that 15% of the consumers reported that they faced
security and privacy issues while shopping from Jabong followed by Ajio (13%),
Myntra (12%) and Flipkart (8%) due to which the consumers were dissatisfied. The
consumers did not feel secure while sharing their personal information related to
accounts due to which they used cash on delivery as a payment option in most of the
cases. However, the security and privacy policy of Amazon (7%) are trustworthy and
consumers do not feel insecure while sharing their personal information on this
website. The consumers feel secure while buying the products using credit/debit cards
from Amazon.
It is clear from the above table that maximum numbers of consumer were
dissatisfied with Ajio (22%) and Jabong (20%) in terms of their refund policy. It was
followed by Myntra (7%) and Flipkart (5%). The consumers did not get the refund
within the time frame that was promised to them, this was the major reason of their
dissatisfaction. The refund amount was credited to their online account with the
website and the amount was not refunded to their bank account. Maximum numbers
of the consumer were satisfied with the refund policy of Amazon (2%) as the amount
was timely credited into their bank account and consumers had no problems while
buying online.
The results of the above table show that 20% and 18% of the consumers for
Ajio and Jabong reported that they were charged with a higher amount of tax as
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compared to other websites followed by Myntra (13%) and Flipkart (12%). However,
Amazon (8%) charged value added tax according to the product being bought and
there were no hidden charges that showed up during checkout or final payment.
Twenty two percent of the consumers were dissatisfied with the product return
policy of Jabong and10% of consumers reported the same problem with Ajio
followed by Flipkart (7%). The consumers reported that the garment was not the
same as they expected, the consumers did not have an option to return the garment
within a set period of time. The results further indicate that Amazon (3%) and Myntra
(4%) are the best websites in terms of their product return policy. The customers felt
that they have a better pick up and return policy while returning a product from these
websites compared to other websites.
According to Anitha (2015) concluded that 42% consumers faced difficulties while
shopping online. The results revealed that the difficulties faced by the consumers
while shopping online were time consumed for registration, disclosure of personal
information, lack of full cost disclosure, lack of personal feel/touch on products,
lengthy billing process, suspicion on timely delivery of the products and lack of trust
on confidentiality of website.
After accessing the factors, that influence attitude of consumers towards online
shopping and the challenges faced by online shoppers, this phase deals with creating
guidelines for the consumers to help them make better buying decisions.
It was found that consumers only keep the Size, Fit, Style and Appearance of the
apparel in mind while making buying decisions. They give very little importance to
other aspects before making a buying decision due to which they face various
problems while shopping online. To overcome these challenges and problems a few
guidelines have been created to help consumers make better buying decisions.
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Consumers should check all the possible options and websites for the range of
products available in the category of apparel they want to buy.
Consumers should inspect all the views available for the apparel in question
before making a purchase.
Consumers should compare the prices and discounts given by various websites
for a particular category of apparel before confirming purchase of any product.
Further, consumers should check the customer service contact details before
buying any apparel.
The consumers should pay attention to the shipping policy and delivery options
before taking any purchasing decision.
Customers should read the website’s privacy and security policy in detail.
Consumers must check the product return and refund policy before opting for
actual purchase.
Consumers are advised to check their measurements and compare them to the
given size chart on websites before selecting the desired size.
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Suggestions for online retailers/web designers:
Websites must incorporate multiple views of all products, including videos for
apparel.
In-stock and out-of stock information must be updated regularly on the websites.
Websites should offer first time shoppers’ discounts and credits for referring a
friend.
The product return policy must be easily accessible and easy to understand.
The refund must be credited to the consumer’s personal bank account instead of a
credit in their website account.
CHAPTER V
FINDINGS
Online shopping has become popular with the increase in usage of internet.
Consumers are drawn to shop online not only due to a great level of convenience,
but also because of the vast variety of choices available online, lesser prices and
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better access to detailed information. There are various factors that affect the
consumer attitude towards online shopping. These factors can physiological such as
trust, security, and website design. Perceived risk associated with the purchase of
product which includes risk of financial loss and product performance or durability.
Demographic factors like age, gender, marital status, income group and occupation
also affects the attitude of online shoppers while buying products online along with
website features like website navigation, display of information on the website and
the visual design of the website. Thus, the study focuses primarily on the factors
affecting attitude of consumers while shopping online. With the help of data
generated guidelines were created to help the consumers in making better online
buying decisions.
The main objectives of the study are:
1. To explore the attitudes of male and female shoppers towards online
shopping
2. To study the level of satisfaction of male and female consumers with
website trust and website design
3. To assess consumer satisfaction level of males and females towards
Perceived apparel quality based on online shopping
4. To study online apparel websites and identify their shortcomings
5. To create guidelines for consumers when shopping for apparel online
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H4: There will be a significant difference in the attitudes of males and
females towards perceived apparel quality
PHASE-I
In this phase, behavior of male and female consumers towards online shopping
was explored. The consumers’ satisfaction level towards website trust, website
design and perceived apparel quality was identified with the help of a survey.
Locale of the study: The respondents involved in the research study were
selected from the Trichy city. Only those respondents were taken as samples
who had an experience of online shopping.
Selection of Sample: The samples selected for the study were 200 respondents.
Out of which, 90 were male and 110 were female respondents between age
group of 21- 30 years and 31-40 years.
Variables: The following independent and dependent variables for the present
study are as follows:
Independent variable:
Website Trust
Website Design
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Perceived Apparel Quality
Dependent variable:
Consumers Attitude
Methodology
The methodology has been planned in two phases for smooth execution of
the research work.
The detailed plan of work is as follows:
Structured and was standardized. The scale comprised of six items which are:
Appearance, II. Material, III. Performance/ Durability/ Garment care, IV.
Style, Design/ Fit, V. Garment construction/ Workmanship and VI. Packaging/
Delivery. For reliability, the Cronbach’s alpha was conducted. Cronbach’s alpha
coefficient of 0.86, indicating a good level of reliability.
Statistical analysis of data:
The collected data was coded, tabulated and analyzed using various statistical
techniques. Statistical technique such as mean, standard deviation, t-test and
coefficient of correlation were used. All the statistical analysis was done through
SPSS 22.0.
PHASE-II
In the second phase, the level of satisfaction of consumers towards buying apparel
was identified from five online websites.
Locale of the study: Trichy city was selected as the study area.
Selection of Sample: The population of the study included only online shoppers who
purchased apparel through online shopping. The samples selected for the study were
60 female online shoppers who bought apparel for themselves at least once a month.
The sample size included of females between age group of 21-40 years.
Sampling technique: Snowball sampling technique was used to collect the data.
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Tools and technique of data collections: The data was collected through interview
schedule.
Tools and technique of data collections: Keeping in view the specific objectives, the
data were collected both from the primary and secondary sources. The data from
primary source was collected through the interview schedule. Secondary data was
collected both from published and unpublished literature such as, books, magazines,
newspapers, articles in e-journals related to online shopping.
Selection, Formulation and Description of the tools: Following tools were used to
measure the variables undertaken for the study:
1. Attitude towards online apparel shopping: Attitudes towards apparel
online shopping was developed by Hirst and Omar (2007). It was used to
find out the attitude towards online shopping. The scale comprises of
three different major sections: I. Ease of use, II. Security, III. User’s
relative advantage. This scale was constructed with 15 items. The
Chronbach’s alpha reliability of the scale for the three dimensions is 0.70,
0.82 and 0.85.
2. Consumer satisfaction level with website trust and website design:
Consumer satisfaction level with website trust and website design was
developed by Chellappa (2005), Suh & Han (2003) Chan & Lu (2004),
Chen & Barns (2007) and Cry (2008). It was used to find out the
satisfaction level with Website trust and Website design of the consumers.
The tool comprised of six different items which were: I. Information
Design, II. Visual Design,III. Navigation Design, IV. Trust, V. Perceived
Risk, VI. Purchase Intention. Validity and reliability for this scale is 0.6.
3. Perceived apparel quality based on online shopping: Perceived apparel
quality scale was used to measure consumer satisfaction level towards
perceived apparel quality based on online shopping. The scale was self
structured and was standardized. The scale comprised of six items which
are:
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Appearance, II. Material, III. Performance/ Durability/ Garment care, IV.
Style, Design/ Fit, V. Garment construction/ Workmanship and VI.
Packaging/ Delivery. For reliability, the Cronbach’s alpha was conducted.
Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.86, indicating a good level of reliability.
Statistical analysis of data:
The collected data was coded, tabulated and analyzed using various statistical
techniques. Statistical technique such as mean, standard deviation, t-test and
coefficient of correlation were used. All the statistical analysis was done through
SPSS 22.0.
PHASE-II
In the second phase, the level of satisfaction of consumers towards buying apparel
was identified from five online websites.
Locale of the study: Trichy city was selected as the study area.
Selection of Sample: The population of the study included only online shoppers who
purchased apparel through online shopping. The samples selected for the study were
60 female online shoppers who bought apparel for themselves at least once a month.
The sample size included of females between age group of 21-40 years.
Sampling technique: Snowball sampling technique was used to collect the data.
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Tools and technique of data collections: The data was collected through interview
schedule.
Selection, Formulation and Description of tool: Self structured questionnaire was
used to measure the consumer satisfaction level towards online apparel websites. The
items included in the scale were: I. Categories of Women’s Apparel, II. Brands,
III. Discount/Offers, IV. Product View, V. Product Description, VI. Payment
Options, VII. Delivery Options and VIII. Product Returns Policy and IX. Problem
while shopping online.
Ranking: Evaluation of statements was done through ranking. Each statement was
rated on its most preferred to least preferred through a five point rating scale. The
ranks were assigned as follow:
Excellent -5, Very good -4, Good -3, Fair -2, Poor -1
Weighted Mean Score (WMS): To analyse the best online website in terms of
women’s apparel category, the weighted mean score was calculated.
Analysis of data: For the analysis of data, the following steps were undertaken:-
a) Coding: The data from the questionnaire was transferred to the coding
sheet by assigning numerals to responses for tabulation and analysis of
data.
b) Tabulation: The data was transferred to the coding sheet. Tabulation was
done by arranging the data in the form of tables.
Analysis: Collected data was analyzed to present the complex and scattered
information into simple, clear and logical data which was expressed through the
frequency and percentage.
To create guidelines for consumers
The researcher assessed the problems faced by the online shoppers while shopping
online and prepared various guidelines for the consumers on the basis of these
drawbacks to improve the consumers experience and better buying decisions while
shopping online.
Keeping the objectives in mind the major findings of the study are as follows:
Results on the basis of demographic profile-
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The results show that females (55%) prefer online apparel shopping more
as compared to their male (45%) counterparts.
Majority of the consumers in the age group of 21-30 years prefer to buy
apparel online as compared to consumers in the age group of 31-40 years.
The results further reveal that employed females (36%) are more inclined
towards shopping than unemployed females (19%) whereas in the case of
males, unemployed males (28%) shop more in comparison to employed
males (17%).
Females of higher income group i.e. more than Rs.7,00,000/- per annum
tend to shop online more frequently as compared to females from other
income groups.
The results indicate that 32% female and 23% male respondents shop
online monthly.
Online shopping is observed to be practised relatively more by unmarried
female (32%) and male (27%) respondents compared to their married
counterparts.
Level of satisfaction of male and female consumers with website trust and
website design
There is no significant difference between the attitudes of male and
female shoppers towards ease of use and user’s relative advantage while
shopping online.
There is an extensive variance in the attitudes of males and females
towards online security while shopping online. It was found that males
feel more secure while shopping online as compared to females.
There is no significant difference in the attitudes of male and female
shoppers in terms of website trust, perceived risk and purchase intention
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towards shopping online. Both male and female shoppers believe that
online shopping websites are reliable and trustworthy.
The results reveal that there is a high correlation between the attitudes of
male and female shoppers and website trust towards online shopping.
The results indicate that there is no significant difference in the attitudes
of male and female shoppers towards website design in terms of
information displayed, visual design and navigation design while
shopping online. They believe that websites are well presented; all the
information related to the products is easily available and the websites are
easy to navigate.
The results found that there is a high correlation between the attitudes of
male and female shoppers and website design while shopping online.
The results shows that there is no significant difference in male and
female attitudes towards perceived apparel quality in terms of material,
appearance, garment construction/workmanship,
performance/durability/garment care,
style/design/fit and packaging/delivering of products purchased through
online shopping.
The results reveal that there is a high correlation between the attitudes of
male and female shoppers and perceived apparel quality towards online
shopping. This further suggests that perceived apparel quality increases
the trust of shoppers towards online shopping.
Online apparel websites and identify their shortcomings
The results of the study show that the best collection of women apparel in
different categories is perceived best on Flipkart with WMS of (3.5),
followed by Myntra (3.2), Amazon (3.0), Ajio (2.7) and Jabong (2.3)
respectively.
The study found that the maximum number of brands is available on
Amazon with WMS of 4.1, followed by Flipkart with WMS of 3.7,
Myntra with WMS of 3.0, Ajio and Jabong with WMS of 2.0 each. It is
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clear that Amazon displays the best collection of products along with a
variety of brands.
The results reveal that maximum discounts in different categories of
women apparel are available on Amazon with a WMS of 3.8. The second
best discounts and offers are available on Flipkart (3.4), followed by
Myntra (2.9), Ajio (2.5) and Jabong (2.0).
The results indicate that Amazon and Flipkart obtain the highest score in
the category of product presentation when compared to the other
websites. The WMS of Amazon and Flipkart was a tie at 3.6, followed by
Myntra, Jabong and Ajio with WMS of 2.9, 2.4 and 2.2 respectively
The above findings revealed that best product descriptions are available
on Amazon and Flipkart with WMS of 3.4 each. The consumers were
found to be more satisfied with the products purchased from these
websites as compared to other websites. Next in order were Myntra (2.9),
Ajio (2.5) and Jabong (2.4) respectively.
It is found that Myntra scored highest in terms of available payment
options amongst all the websites with a WMS of 4.0, followed by
Amazon (3.6), Flipkart (3.0), Ajio (2.4) and Jabong (1.9). It is clear that
the best options for making an online payment are available on Myntra.
The results found that female shoppers believed cash on delivery as the
best payment option available while shopping online. The highest score
was obtained by cash on delivery with a WMS of 4.6 as compared to
other payment options like credit/debit card with a WMS of 3.8, followed
by net banking/phone banking (3.2) and the facility of equated monthly
instalments (EMI) (1.2).
The results show that females are satisfied with delivery options available
on Amazon with WMS of 4.4, followed by Flipkart (3.9), Myntra (2.7),
Ajio (2.4) and Jabong (1.3) respectively. This indicates that Amazon
gives the best delivery options including express delivery within one day
of purchase.
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The highest score was achieved by Amazon for product return Policy at
WMS of 4.0. Thereafter, Flipkart (3.8), Myntra (3.1), Jabong (2.4) and
Ajio (1.5). Hence, it is concluded that Amazon has the best product return
policy.
From the above findings it can be concluded that female respondents are
satisfied with the Amazon website on the basis of brands, discount/offers,
product view, product description, delivery options and product return
policy. The results indicate that the highest WMS belongs to Amazon
(3.6) followed by Flipkart (3.5), Myntra (3.0), Ajio (2.2) and Jabong
(2.0).
The results further conclude that most of the consumers face problems
with Jabong and Ajio with respect to the size of apparel, colour variation,
product view, price variation, incomplete product description, product
quality, not received same garment as displayed, high shipping cost,
product delivery extended, customer service, security/privacy issues,
refund policy, value added tax and product return policy while shopping
online.
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Consumers should always check reviews and rating of products displayed
on various websites before making the decision to buy a particular
product.
Consumers should inspect all the views available for the apparel in
question before making a purchase.
Consumers should compare the prices and discounts given by various
websites for a particular category of apparel before confirming purchase
of any product.
It is suggested that consumers should read the apparel description
carefully before purchase. Following points should also be kept in mind
while purchasing apparel online: Size, Fabric material, Colour, Fabric
pattern, Garment length, Sleeve length, Neckline, Seam finishes, Fall of
the garment, Closures, Fit, Value addition and Care instructions.
Further, consumers should check the customer service contact details
before buying any apparel.
The consumers should pay attention to the shipping policy and delivery
options before taking any purchasing decision.
Customers should read the website’s privacy and security policy in detail.
Consumers must check the product return and refund policy before
opting for actual purchase.
Customers must always save a copy of the order placed.
Consumers should use a strong password as their login password.
Consumers are advised to check their measurements and compare them to
the given size chart on websites before selecting the desired size.
Suggestions for online retailers/web designers:
The websites must offer easy navigation for consumers.
Websites must incorporate multiple views of all products, including
videos for apparel.
Detailed information related to a product must be available on the portal
of the websites.
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Websites should display detailed size chart according to measurements
suitable for Indian sizes.
In-stock and out-of stock information must be updated regularly on the
websites.
Websites should offer first time shoppers’ discounts and credits for
referring a friend.
Customer service must be approachable to the consumers.
The product return policy must be easily accessible and easy to
understand.
The refund must be credited to the consumer’s personal bank account
instead of a credit in their website account.
The online retailers can incorporate some changes in their websites using
these guidelines to achieve a higher level of consumer satisfaction
towards online shopping.
CONCLUSION
The study concluded that there is a difference in the online shopping
behaviour of consumers based on their respective age, gender, occupation, income
and marital status. However, both male and female shoppers have a positive attitude
towards shopping online and are inclined to shop online. The research indicates that
consumer attitude while shopping online depends on various website features. These
features include website trust, website design and perceived apparel quality. The
consumers’ are more inclined to adopt online shopping; a website has good features,
easy navigation and offers multiple choices. Female shoppers are more concerned
about security and privacy as compared to male consumers.
The study further indicates that lack of information related to the apparel
online is a major drawback for online shopping websites and the problems which are
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commonly faced by the consumers are related to description of products, product
view available on the website and product return policy etc. It was also found that
websites such as Amazon and Flipkart are better in terms of availability of
information and display of products. Respondents were found to be more satisfied
with these online shopping websites as compared to other shopping websites.
IMPLICATIONS OF THE STUDY:
The results and outcomes of this study can be helpful to e-retailers, online
consumers and other researchers in the area of online trade.
E-retailers will greatly benefit by understanding the factors influencing the
online buying behaviour of consumers and develop strategies to improve the
customer satisfaction level towards online shopping. This study will help in
understanding the shopping behaviour of the consumers, as they make online buying
decisions. By accessing and analysing their reviews of particular products, they
would be able to come up with improvisation for better consumer satisfaction.
Online consumer will greatly benefit as they will be able to make better
buying decisions and select the right product depending on their
requirement.
Last but not the least, this study will be useful to academicians as, it will
serve as a reference and will provide guidelines for the researchers who
will undertake study on online shopping.
Limitations of the study:
1. The present study is restricted to Trichy city.
2. Only online shoppers have been taken as samples.
3. Only women apparel has been taken for assessing the website.
4. For analysing websites only five online apparel websites such as Myntra,
Amazon, Ajio, Flipkart and Jabong were studied.
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS:
On the basis of the findings of the present study, the following recommendations can
be put forth:
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Research on the same topic can be conducted with a larger sample size of
male and female consumers from cities other than Jaipur in order to
obtain more conclusive findings.
In the present study, only the category of women apparel was analysed for
accessing the behaviour while shopping online. Research studies can also
be conducted on children's wear, men's wear, fashion accessories,
footwear and home furnishings.
Various seminars can be conducted to make the consumers aware about
the points to be keep in mind while shopping for apparel online.
Only five websites, namely Myntra, Flipkart, Jabong, Ajio and Amazon
were considered. Studies on other emerging websites can also be
undertaken to analyse consumer satisfaction level towards online
shopping.
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APPENDICES
QUESTIONNAIRE
APPENDIX
Assessing consumers attitude towards apparel and developing guidelines for online
shopping
(Demographic Profile)
1. Name:
2. Gender:
Male
82
Female
20-30 years
30-40 years
40-50 years
50 & above
4. Occupation:
Student
Homemaker
Employed
Entrepreneur
3,00,001 -5,00,000
5,00,001 -7,00,000
6. Marital Status:
83
Married
Unmarried
Once a week
Once a month
84
APPENDIX A
(Interview schedule)
Instructions:
3. Read the statements and tick (√) according to how much the statement
reflect how you feel or think.
S.
No Statements 5 4 3 2 1
Ease of use
Security
85
9. Shopping online improves my shopping
confidence
86
APPENDIX B
S. Statements 5 4 3 2 1
No
Information displayed
Visual design
Navigation design
87
APPENDIX C
S. Statements 5 4 3 2 1
No.
Website trust
Perceived risk
88
8. I do not perceive any risk by sharing my personal
information concerning my transaction with the
online store
Purchase intention
89
APPENDIX D
(Interview schedule)
S. Statements 5 4 3 2 1
No.
Appearance
Material
90
10. Did you find any defect in related to print & fabric
91
S. Statements 5 4 3 2 1
No.
25. Have you ever found any stain & spot on the
garment purchased
Packaging / delivery
92
27. Were the garments properly packed
93
APPENDIX E
Consumers’ perception towards online shopping for apparel through various websites
(Interview schedule)
Instructions:
Rank the website that has the best collection available for given
categories of apparel for women
1.
Ethnic wear
Western
wear
Lingerie &
sleep wear
Sports wear
94
3. Rank the websites in order of the best discount/offers
Percentage
based discount
Free shipping
Festive
discounts
End of season/
Clearance sale
Front view
Back view
Side view
Zoom
6. Rank the websites for better product description for the following
Sizes
Fabric
material
Colours
95
Fabric
pattern
Garment
length
Sleeve
length
Neckline
Closure
Fit
Value
addition
Care
instructions
96
7.a. Rank the websites on the basis of maximum payment options available
Cash on delivery
Credit/Debit card
97
Problems you have faced while shopping online (Tick at appropriate
answer)
10.
Size
Colour variation
Product view
Price variation
Improper product
description
Product quality
Not received
same garment as
displayed
High shipping
cost
Product delivery
extended
Poor customer
service
Security/Privacy
issues
Refund policy