Internet is the rapidest growing media during the past decade. Especially, online shopping is a rapidly growing e-commerce area. Forrester Research forecasts that online retail trade will be about $217.8 billion by 2007 and account for 8% of total retail. ComScore Networks reported that for the year 2001, domestic online sales totaled more than $53 billion. This figure shows a growth rate of about 20% compared to the year 2000.

According to Arbitron/Edison Media Research (2002), the number of consumers who purchase online is growing sharply. 40% of all Americans have ever purchased goods or services on the Web. Average amount spent online in last one year was about $658 and 56% of Internet users have made a purchase online.

According to annual Internet survey of WHICHonline, 15% of British Internet users visit online shopping sites most frequently and 14% regularly use Internet for online shopping. This survey suggests that book is the most popular item on the Internet and Flights/Holidays is the second popular item. (Figure 1)

FIGURE 1

Online shopping basically provides the way consumers go shopping and purchase services and goods with reasonable price on the Internet. For some consumers, shopping and purchasing online have become part of their daily lives, while others may not even care about it. At this point, I wonder what factors influence online purchasing behavior and explain the difference in online buying behavior among Internet users. This web site intends to investigate which factors affect online purchasing behavior.

Based on the previous researches, several factors were sellected as factors which affect online purchasing behavior.

- Demographics (Age, Education, Income, and Gender)

- Consumer Orientation (Convenience-oriented and Experience-oriented)

- Price

- The Reputation of Retailers

- Perceived Risk

- Type of Access

Site created by Sungwoo Kim
Contact: houskets@hotmail.com
Last updated: November, 2002
copyright 2002 Sungwoo Kim