quantitative research title about online selling

ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Online consumer satisfaction during covid-19: perspective of a developing country.

• 1 Antai College of Economics & Management, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
• 2 School of Management, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, China
• 3 Faculty of Management Sciences, Riphah International University, Faisalabad Campus, Punjab, Pakistan
• 4 Department of Professional Psychology, Bahria University, Islamabad, Pakistan

A conceptual model based on the antecedents and consequences of online consumer satisfaction has been proposed and empirically proved in this study. Data were collected during Smart Lockdown of COVID-19 from 800 respondents to observe the difference between perceived and actual, and direct and indirect e-stores. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to observe the validity of the data set. The structural equation modeling technique was used to test the hypotheses. The findings indicated that consumers feel more satisfied when they shop through direct e-store than indirect e-store, whereas their perception and actual experience are different. Implications have also been added to the study.

Introduction

Online shopping is the act of buying a product or service through any e-stores with the help of any website or app. Tarhini et al. (2021) stated that shopping through online channels is actively progressing due to the opportunity to save time and effort. Furthermore, online shopping varies from direct e-store and indirect e-store about their perception against the actual experience. Developing countries still face various conflicts and issues while promoting and utilizing e-commerce to the maximum compared with the developed countries ( Rossolov et al., 2021 ). In the developing countries, the difference between the perception and actual experience of the consumers varies when buying from indirect e-store compared to the direct e-store. On the contrary, as the world has been suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic, it has brought drastic changes globally in many sectors, business being one of them. De Vos (2020) stated that a large-scale lockdown was imposed worldwide to prevent the virus from spreading.

To survive, switching traditional shopping or trade toward digital was one factor that captured the attention across the globe on a larger scale. In April 2020, Walmart reported a 74% increase in online sales even though they faced a low customer walk-in at stores ( Nassauer, 2020 ; Redman, 2020 ). This upsurge of swift adoption of online channels has led this research to ask a few questions. First, what will be the difference between the perceived and the actual product purchased online? A recent study has documented that consumers bear actual risk after shopping through online channels ( Yang et al., 2020 ). Research reported that 30% of the products through online channels get returned and are not according to their perception ( Saleh, 2016 ). The same author also showed that the return and complaint rates are getting higher when consumers shop through an online channel.

Second, is there any difference between the perceived and the actual product purchase online from a direct e-store or an indirect e-store? Direct e-store means the online brand store, for example, Walmart, and indirect e-store means third-party stores such as Amazon, Alibaba, Jingdong (JD), and Daraz. The direct e-store strives hard to maintain a clear, potent perception in the mind of its buyer ( Grewal et al., 2009 ). Kumar and Kim (2014) stated that a brand strengthening its relationship with its consumer satisfies its needs through the actual product or services. In the literature ( Olotewo, 2017 ; Rossolov et al., 2021 ), it is stated that the shopping patterns of buyers from direct and indirect e-stores vary greatly, especially in the developing countries. In this way, when shopping through a direct e-store, consumers may easily recognize the difference in buying from a direct and indirect e-stores ( Mendez et al., 2008 ).

Third, a conceptual framework from a consumer perspective, antecedents and consequences of customer satisfaction, has been proposed and empirically proved. The literature ( Alharthey, 2020 ) discussed different risk types in online shopping. Three main types of risk, perceived uncertainty, perceived risk, and price, are addressed in this model. To the best of the knowledge of the authors, no such investigation directed specific circumstances, particularly in the developing countries. Therefore, it is necessary to look for the antecedents and consequences of customer satisfaction to promote online shopping in the developing countries. The degree of consumer satisfaction defines his/her experience and emotions about the product or service purchased through the online channel. Recent studies ( Guzel et al., 2020 ; Mamuaya and Pandowo, 2020 ) stated that the intention of the consumers to repurchase and their electronic-word-of-mouth (e-WOM) depends on their degree of satisfaction. In light of these heavy investments in online shopping, there is an exciting yet unexplored opportunity to comprehend better how the purchasing experiences of consumers through online channels influence their satisfaction level.

The study contributed to the current marketing literature in several ways. First, this study has highlighted that the perceived risk is very high when shopping through online channels, mainly the indirect e-stores. Therefore, the managers should develop strategies that reduce the perceived risk for the online consumer to shop more. Second, the study also disclosed that the perceived uncertainty in shopping through the online channel is high. While shopping online, the website design, graphics, and color scheme make the product more attractive than the actual one. Therefore, the managers must balance the visual appearance of the product on the website with the actual appearance of the product. This would increase the confidence and satisfaction of the consumer. Third, this study has also revealed that people are more satisfied while shopping from direct e-stores than indirect e-stores. Because the focal brands officially sponsor the direct e-stores, they pay more attention to their quality to retain consumers and maintain their brand reputation. Fourth, an indirect e-store works as a third party or a retailer who does not own the reputation of the product. This study exhibited the difference between the perception of the consumer being very high and the actual experience of using that product being quite different when shopping from the indirect channel. Last but not the least, this study is the first to report pre- and post-purchase consumer behavior and confirmed the perceived and the actual quality of a product bought from (i) direct e-store and (ii) indirect e-store.

Literature Review

Theoretical review.

Literature shows that when consumers get influenced to buy a particular product or service, some underlying roots are based on their behavior ( Wai et al., 2019 ). Appraisal theory significantly explains consumer behavior toward shopping and provides an opportunity to analyze the evaluation process (e.g., Roseman, 2013 ; Kähr et al., 2016 ; Moors et al., 2017 ; Ul Haq and Bonn, 2018 ). This research, aligned with the four dimensions of appraisal theory as the first stage, clearly defines the agency stage that either of the factors is responsible for customer satisfaction. The second stage explains that consumer's degree of satisfaction holds great importance and refers to novelty in the literature. The third stage of the model briefly explains the feelings and emotions of the consumers about the incident, aligning with the certainty phase. The last step explains whether the consumers have achieved their goal or are not aligned with the appetitive purpose.

Cognitive appraisal researchers stated that various emotions could be its root cause ( Scherer, 1997 ); it could be the reaction to any stimulus or unconscious response. On the contrary, four dimensions of appraisal theory are discussed in this research ( Ellsworth and Smith, 1988 ; Ma et al., 2013 ). Agency (considering themselves or objects are answerable for the result of the circumstance) ( Smith and Ellswoth, 1985 ; Durmaz et al., 2020 ); novelty (assessing the difference between the perception of an individual and his actual experience) ( Ma et al., 2013 ); certainty (analysis of the apparent probability of a specific outcome and its effect on the emotions of the buyer) ( Roseman, 1984 ), and appetitive goal (judging the degree to what extent the goal has been achieved) ( Hosany, 2012 ).

Hypotheses Development

Perceived risk and consumer satisfaction.

Perceived risk is the perception of shoppers having unpleasant results for buying any product or service ( Gozukara et al., 2014 ). Consumers who buy a specific product or service strongly impact their degree of risk perception toward buying ( Jain, 2021 ). Buyers who tend to indulge in buying through online channels face perceived risk characterized by their perception compared to the actual uncertainty involved in it ( Kim et al., 2008 ). Literature ( Ashoer and Said, 2016 ; Ishfaq et al., 2020 ) showed that as the risk of buying is getting higher, it influences the degree of consumers about information about their buying, either purchasing from the direct or indirect e-shop. Johnson et al. (2008) stated that consumer judgment that appears due to their experience strongly impacts their satisfaction level. Jin et al. (2016) said that as the ratio of risk perception of their consumer decreases, it enhances customer satisfaction. Thus, from the above arguments, it is hypothesized as follows:

H 1 : Perceived risk has a significant negative impact on consumer satisfaction—direct vs. indirect e-store; perceived vs. actual experience .

Perceived Uncertainty and Consumer Satisfaction

Uncertainty is defined as a time that occurs in the future that comprises the predictable situation due to the asymmetry nature of data ( Salancik and Pfeffer, 1978 ). Consumers may not expect the outcome of any type of exchange conducted as far as the retailer and product-oriented elements are concerned ( Pavlou et al., 2007 ). Therefore, uncertainty initiates that retailers may not be completely predictable; on the contrary, consumers tend to analyze and understand their actions about decision making ( Tzeng et al., 2021 ). Thus, the degree of uncertainty involved in buying through online channels influences that degree of customer satisfaction. In addition, when the performance of any particular product or service matches the degree of expectations, he gets satisfied and, hence, repeats his decision of buying ( Taylor and Baker, 1994 ). But if the product quality fails to meet the requirements, it negatively affects the degree of satisfaction ( Cai and Chi, 2018 ).

H 2 : Perceived uncertainty has a significant negative impact on consumer satisfaction—direct vs. indirect e-store; perceived vs. actual experience .

Price Value and Consumer Satisfaction

Oliver and DeSarbo (1988) suggested that the price value is the proportion of the result of the buyer to the input of the retailer. It is defined as an exchange of products/services based on their quality against a price that is to be paid ( Dodds et al., 1991 ). Consumers look for a higher value in return; consumers are willing to pay a higher price ( Pandey et al., 2020 ). Yet, it leads to higher dissatisfaction when they receive a lower degree of profitable products. Besides, the buyers associate such type of product/service they use as less favorable or not according to their needs and desires. Hence, the buyers regret their decision-making degree for choosing that particular product ( Zeelenberg and Pieters, 2007 ). Aslam et al. (2018) indicated that a product/service price influences the satisfaction of a buyer. Afzal et al. (2013) recommended that the price is among those factors that hold great significance for the degree of satisfaction of the consumer. If the price value of any product/service differs from consumer to consumer, consumers tend to switch brands. Hence, it is hypothesized that:

H3 : Price value has a significant positive impact on consumer satisfaction—direct vs. indirect e-store; perceived vs. actual experience .

Consumer Satisfaction With Consumer Delight, Consumer Regret, and Outrage

Satisfaction is defined as how a consumer is pleased with a particular brand or view about a product/service that matches requirements. It is an essential factor that triggers when the product or service performance exceeds the expectation and perception of the customers ( Woodside et al., 1989 ). The decision of the buyer significantly affects their satisfaction toward the product or service ( Park et al., 2010 ). If buyers are satisfied with the product/service they purchased online, this degree of satisfaction significantly affects their repurchase intention and WOM ( Butt et al., 2017 ). Tandon (2021) stated that a consumer satisfied with the product/service would get delighted. Consumer satisfaction, when exceeding the expectations, leads to consumer delight ( Mikulić et al., 2021 ). Mattila and Ro (2008) recommended that the buyer gets disappointed by anger, regret, and outrage. It also defines that negative emotions have a significant effect on the purchasing intention of the consumers. Oliver (1989) stated that unsatisfied buyers or products that do not fulfill the needs of the customers can create negative emotions. Sometimes, their feelings get stronger and result in sadness and outrage. Bechwati and Xia (2003) recommended that the satisfaction of the consumers influences their behavior to repurchase; outraged consumers due to dissatisfaction sometimes want to hurt the company. Besides deciding to purchase, consumers mostly regret their choices compared to other existing choices ( Rizal et al., 2018 ). Hechler and Kessler (2018) investigated that consumers who are outraged in nature actively want to hurt or harm the company or brand from which they got dissatisfied or hurt. Thus, it is proposed that:

H 4 : Consumer satisfaction has a significant negative impact on (a) consumer delight, (b) consumer regret, (c) consumer outrage—direct vs. indirect e-store; perceived vs. actual experience .

Consumer Delight and E-WOM

Oliver et al. (1997) recommended that a degree of delight in a buyer is termed as a positive emotion. Consumers purchase a product/service that raises their degree of expectation and gets them delighted ( Crotts and Magnini, 2011 ). Delighted buyers are involved in sharing their experiences with their friends and family and spreading positive WOM to others ( Parasuraman et al., 2020 ). Happy buyers generally share their opinions while posting positive feedback through social media platforms globally ( Zhang, 2017 ). A positive WOM of the buyer acts as a fundamental factor in spreading awareness about the product/service and strongly impacts other buyers regarding buying it ( Rahmadini and Halim, 2018 ). Thus, it is proposed that:

H5 : Consumer delight has a significant positive impact on E-WOM—direct vs. indirect e-store; perceived vs. actual experience .

Consumer Delight and Repurchase Intention

Delighted consumers tend toward brand loyalty; thus, they increase their buying intention of the service or product ( Ludwig et al., 2017 ; Ahmad et al., 2021 ). Customers can understand the objective of loyalty in purchasing a similar product or a new one from the same company. Delighted consumers tend to indulge in a higher degree of an emotional state that leads them to higher purchase intentions; it eliminates the switching of brands ( Parasuraman et al., 2020 ). Kim et al. (2015) stated that consumers delighted with a product or service of a brand become loyal to it, and the possibility of switching brands gets very low. Research ( Loureiro and Kastenholz, 2011 ; Tandon et al., 2020 ) shows that delighted consumers are more eager to purchase the same product again. Hence, it is proposed that:

H6 : Consumer delight has a significant positive impact on his repurchase intention—direct Vs. indirect e-store; Perceived Vs. actual experience

Consumer Regret and E-WOM

Regret is considered a negative emotion in reaction to an earlier experience or action ( Tsiros and Mittal, 2000 ; Kumar et al., 2020 ). Regret is when individuals frequently feel pity, disgrace, shame, or humiliation after acting in a particular manner and afterward try to amend their possible actions or decisions ( Westbrook and Oliver, 1991 ; Tsiros and Mittal, 2000 ). Regret is that specific negative emotion the buyers feel while making a bad decision that hurts them; their confidence level is badly affected. They blame themselves for choosing or creating a terrible decision ( Lee and Cotte, 2009 ). Li et al. (2010) suggested that buyers quickly start regretting and find their way to express their negative emotions. When they feel betrayed, they tend to spread negative WOM (NWOM) as a response to their anxiety or anger. Jalonen and Jussila (2016) suggested that buyers who get dissatisfied with their selections get involved in negative e-WOM about that particular brand/company. Earlier research says that buyers suffering from failure to buy any product/services tend to participate actively and play a role in spreading NWOM due to the degree of regret after making bad choices. Whelan and Dawar (2014) suggested that consumers sense that business has treated them unreasonably, and many consumers complain about their experience, resulting in e-WOM that may reduce consumer repurchase intention. Thus, it can be stated that:

H7 : Consumer regret has a significant negative impact on e-WOM—direct vs. indirect e-store; perceived vs. actual experience .

Consumer Regret and Repurchase Intention

Regret has a substantial influence on the intentions of the consumers to not entirely be measured by their degree of happiness ( Thibaut and Kelley, 2017 ). Results may not be evaluated by matching the structured degree of expectation but are also linked to alternatives reachable in the market. Therefore, such sort of evaluation and assessments will probably influence repurchase intention. For example, suppose the skipped reserve overtakes the picked alternative. In that case, the customer might change the replacement for the future purchase, regardless of whether the individual is profoundly happy with the picked option ( Liao et al., 2017 ). According to the researchers, there is a negative relationship between regret and consumer repurchase intention ( Liao et al., 2017 ; Durmaz et al., 2020 ). Furthermore, Unal and Aydin (2016) stated that perceived risk negatively impacts regret, influencing the repurchase intention of the consumers. Thus, it can be stated that:

H8 : Customer's regret has a significantly negative influence on his repurchase intention—direct vs. indirect e-store; perceived vs. actual experience .

Consumer Outrage and E-WOM

The disappointment of the consumers is a negative response to a product or a service ( Anderson and Sullivan, 1993 ). Outrage is the negative emotion a consumer experience when he purchases something totally against his requirements ( Lindenmeier et al., 2012 ). Besides, when the perception of the buyer is infringed, such behaviors occur. According to Torres et al. (2019) , enraged consumers get involved in communicating their outrage through e-WOM. Outraged consumers actively hurt the firm or brand from which they got hurt ( Hechler and Kessler, 2018 ). Consumers give e-WOM online reviews to decrease the negative emotions from the experiences of the consumer and re-establish a calm mental state to equilibrium ( Filieri et al., 2021 ). Thus, such consumers tend to give negative comments about the brand or product, which failed to match their expectations. NWOM has been characterized as negative reviews shared among people or a type of interpersonal communication among buyers concerning their experiences with a particular brand or service provider ( Balaji et al., 2016 ). Hence, it is hypothesized that:

H9 : Consumer outrage has a significant negative impact on e-WOM—direct vs. indirect e-store; perceived vs. actual experience .

Consumer Outrage and Repurchase Intentions

Repurchase intentions are characterized as the expressed trust of a buyer that they will or will not purchase a specific product and service again in the future ( Malhotra et al., 2006 ). Establishing relations with buyers should result in the repurchase. Negative disconfirmation ensues dissatisfaction or a higher level of outrage ( Escobar-Sierra et al., 2021 ). When a service/product fails and is not correctly addressed, the negative appraisal is overstated. Hence, “it may be more difficult to recover from feelings of victimization than to recover from irritation or annoyance” typically associated with dissatisfaction ( Schneider and Bowen, 1999 , p. 36). Therefore, consumers get outraged from buying such a product that fails to match their perception. When the experience of a consumer prompts a negative disconfirmation, the purchaser will also have a higher urging level through outrage. Therefore, consumers will probably have negative intentions to repurchase and do not want to indgule in making the same decision repeatedly ( Wang and Mattila, 2011 ; Tarofder et al., 2016 ). Therefore, it is proposed that:

H10 : Consumer outrage has a significant negative impact on repurchase intention—direct vs. indirect e-store; perceived vs. actual experience .

Methodology

This research explores the difference between the perception of the consumers and the actual online shopping experience through direct and indirect e-stores. It was an experimental design in which online shopping was studied in the developing countries. Data were collected from those individuals who shop from online channels; direct e-store and indirect e-store. Taking care of COVID-19 standard operating procedures, only 50 respondents were gathered two times, every time in a university auditorium after obtaining the permission from the administration. The total capacity of the auditorium was 500, as the lockdown restrictions were lifted after the first wave of the coronavirus.

Data Collection Tool

A questionnaire was used for the survey. The questionnaire was adapted in English to guarantee that the respondents quickly understood the questions used. A cross-sectional study technique was used for this research. A cross-sectional study helps in gathering the data immediately and collects data from a large sample size. The total number of distributed questionnaires was 1,250, out of which 800 were received in the usable form: 197 incomplete, 226 incorrect, and dubious responses, and 27 were eliminated. Thus, a 64% response rate was reported. Research showed that a 1:10 ratio is accepted ( Hair et al., 1998 ) as far as the data collection is concerned; for that instance, this study data fell in the acceptable range.

Indirect E-Store

Consumers who prefer to shop through online channels were gathered in an auditorium of an institute. Only those consumers were eligible for this experiment, who themselves buy through e-stores. A few products were brought from an indirect e-store, and later on, those products were shown to the respondents from the website of that indirect e-store. After showing products, we asked the respondents to fill the survey as per their perception of the product. Then we asked them to fill out another questionnaire to ascertain the difference between the perception and actual experience when purchasing from an indirect e-store. Once all the respondents completed the survey, we have shown them the actual products they have selected by seeing the website of the indirect e-store.

Direct E-Store

The second experiment was carried out on those consumers who shop from direct e-stores. For that purpose, a few popular reviewed clothing articles were purchased from the e-store. As in the case of an indirect e-store, respondents were also shown these articles from the websites of these direct e-stores. We then asked the respondents to fill the survey to confirm their perception of the products. Once all the respondents completed the survey, we showed them the actual product and asked them to fill out another questionnaire according to their actual purchasing experience from the direct e-store. The primary purpose of this experiment was to compare buying from direct e-store and indirect e-store.

Construct Instruments

The total number of items was 34, which were added in the earlier section of the questionnaire. These items were evaluated with the help of using a five-point Likert scale that falls from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5). The items used in the study were empirically validated. Table 2 carries the details of the items of the questionnaire. The price value was evaluated using three items used by Venkatesh et al. (2012) . The perceived uncertainty was one of the independent variables that carry four items derived from Pavlou et al. (2007) . Perceived risk was the third independent variable used, held three items; thus, its scale was derived from Shim et al. (2001) . Wang (2011) validated consumer satisfaction carrying three items; consumer delight was measured by a 3-item scale proposed by Finn (2012) ; consumer regret was measured by the scale proposed by Wu and Wang (2017) . It carries a three-item scale. Consumer outrage was measured by Liu et al. (2015 ); it has six items. Repurchase intention was measured through a scale adapted from Zeithaml et al. (1996) , which carries four items. e-WOM was validated by the scale adapted from Goyette et al. (2010) ; it has five items.

Demographics of the Respondents

A total of 800 questionnaires were filled, and the respondents expressed their perception and actual experience from direct e-store and indirect e-store. Respondents belonged to different age groups from 18 to 50 years and above. There were 49% women and 51% men who took part in filling this survey. The income level of the respondents was grouped in different categories from “above 10,000 to above 50,000. The majority (56%) of the respondents were single, and 44% were married (Details can be viewed in Figure 1 ; Table 1 ). Data for both direct and indirect e-store was collected equally; 50% each to compare each category better.

Figure 1 . Proposed conceptual framework.

Table 1 . Demographics of the respondents.

Reliability and Validity

Reliability evaluates with the help of composite reliability (CR). All CR values fall into the range of 0.7–0.9, which is acceptable ( Hair et al., 2011 ). Convergent and discriminant validity has been observed through confirmatory factor analysis as recommended by some researchers ( Fornell and Larcker, 1981 ; Hair et al., 2010 ).

Convergent Validity

Convergent validity is evaluated with the help of two standards mentioned in the literature earlier, factor loading and average variance extracted (AVE), both the values should be >0.5 ( Yap and Khong, 2006 ). The values are mentioned in Table 2 .

Table 2 . Reliability and convergent validity.

Discriminant Validity

Discriminant validity is evaluated based on two conditions that are required to evaluate it. First, the correlation between the conceptual model variables should be <0.85 ( Kline, 2005 ). Second, the AVE square value must be less than the value of the conceptual model ( Fornell and Larcker, 1981 ). Table 3 depicts the discriminant validity of the construct of the study.

Table 3 . Discriminant validity.

Multi-Group Invariance Tests

Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis was conducted as the pre-requisites for the measurement model. The multi-group analysis was used to investigate a variety of invariance tests. Different invariance tests were performed to guarantee the items working precisely in the same manner in all the groups. In this research, the following are the model fit indexes, that is, CMIN/dF =2.992 CFI = 0.915, TLI = 0.906, and RMSEA = 0.071. Byrne (2010) and Teo et al. (2009) stated that CFI gives more accurate results, especially when comparing variables in different groups.

Hypotheses Testing

Scanning electron microscope technique was used to run and test the proposed hypotheses for the conceptual model. First, all the hypotheses proposed were checked, from which eight were initially accepted. Later, the multi-group test was utilized to test the proposed hypotheses and compare the shopping experience from direct e-store with indirect e-store and consumer perception with actual experience. Table 4 explains this in detail.

Table 4 . Hypotheses results.

Discussion and Implications

This research offers a remarkable number of facts for practitioners. This study can benefit marketing strategists by reducing the perceived risk, decreasing the intensity of perceived uncertainty, stabilizing the price, enhancing consumer satisfaction, promoting delighting consumers, accepting the negative behavior of the consumers, consumer retention, and establishing a positive e-WOM.

Reducing Risks

Certain factors play a role in antecedents of consumer satisfaction; they are particularly those that resist consumers to shop from any online channel, neither direct e-store nor indirect e-store. Perceived risk, perceived uncertainty, and the price are some of those antecedents that play a significant role in affecting the degree of satisfaction of the consumers, resulting in either to retain a consumer or to outrage a consumer. This study aligns with the existing literature. Tandon et al. (2016) ; Bonnin (2020) and Pandey et al. (2020) showed that consumers seek to shop from an e-store without bearing any risk. Consumers feel more confident about an e-store when the perceived risk is less than shopping from traditional ones as consumers want to feel optimistic about their decision. Second, e-vendors should ensure that the quality of a product is up to the mark and according to the consumer needs. Therefore, vendors should offer complete details about the product/service and its risks to the consumers. Moreover, this study suggests that e-stores must align the visuals of a product with its actual appearance. This would help them to increase customer satisfaction and confidence in the e-store.

Focus on Consumer Satisfaction

Consumer satisfaction is the deal-breaker factor in the online sector. Literature ( Shamsudin et al., 2018 ; Hassan et al., 2019 ) showed that organizations prioritize their consumers by fulfilling their requirements and required assistance. As a result, consumers are more confident and become satisfied consumers in the long run. This study adds to the literature that the degree of satisfaction of the consumers plays an essential role in shopping from an e-store. Consumers feel more confident in shopping from a direct e-store than an indirect e-store as the difference in the perception of consumers and the actual experience varies. Therefore, online vendors should focus on satisfying their consumers as it plays a remarkable role in retaining consumers.

Value Consumer Emotions

Online, retaining, and satisfying consumers are the most vital factor that directly affects the organization. This research aligns with the existing literature ( Jalonen and Jussila, 2016 ; Hechler and Kessler, 2018 ; Coetzee and Coetzee, 2019 ); when the retailer successfully fulfills its requirements, the consumer gets delighted repeating his choice to repurchase. On the other hand, if the online retailer fails to serve the consumer, the consumer regrets and, in extreme cases, becomes outraged about his decision. The negative emotions of the consumers threaten the company from many perspectives, as the company loses its consumer and its reputation in the market is affected. Therefore, first, market practitioners should avoid ignoring the requirements of consumers. Second, online vendors should pay special attention to the feedback of the consumers and assure them that they are valued.

Consumer Retention

The ultimate goal is to retain its consumers, but e-vendors should make proper strategies to satisfy their consumers as far as the online sector is concerned. The earlier studies of Zhang et al. (2015) and Ariffin et al. (2016) contributed to the literature that consumer satisfaction is a significant aspect in retaining a consumer. This research has also suggested that the satisfaction of the consumers plays a vital role in retaining them. Moreover, online shoppers provide the fastest spread of the right WOM about the product/ service. Second, consumers should feel valued and committed to vendors.

Pre- and Post-buying Behavior

This study contributed to a conceptual model that deals with consumer pre- and post-purchase behavior from the direct and indirect e-stores. With the help of experimental design, this study has reported its finding, highlighted how a satisfied customer is delightful and shares e-WOM, and showed repurchase intention. However, if the customer is not satisfied with the flip of a coin, he may feel regretted or outraged and cannot share e-WOM or have a repurchase intention.

Conclusions

This research concludes that online shopping has boomed during this COVID-19 pandemic period, as the lockdown prolonged in both the developed and the developing countries. The study further supports the difference between shopping from a direct e-store and an indirect e-store. The perception of the consumers shopping from direct e-store is more confident, and their degree of satisfaction is much higher, as the actual experience of the consumers aligns with their perceptions. Instead, consumers feel dissatisfied or outraged to choose an indirect e-store for shopping. Indirect e-store makes false promises and guarantees to its buyers, and eventually, when the consumers experience the product, it is against their perception.

This research fills the literature gap about the antecedents that lead to online shopping growth in the developing countries. This study aligns with Hechler and Kessler's (2018) earlier research, which stated that dissatisfied consumers threaten the reputation of the organization. Furthermore, Klaus and Maklan (2013) , Lemon and Verhoef (2016) suggested that handling the experience and satisfaction of the buyers plays a significant role in surviving among its competitors. Grange et al. (2019) recommended that e-commerce develops and attracts consumers by fulfilling their needs and requirements quickly. This study aligned with the existing literature by adding factors influencing the shopping preferences of the consumers from an e-store.

Limitations and Future Research

Despite its significant findings, this research has some limitations and scope for future research. First, this research only examined a few risks involved in online shopping. Future research studies should analyze other risks, for example, quality risk and privacy risk. Second, this study focused on shopping through direct e-stores and indirect e-stores. Future research can implement a conceptual model of a specific brand. Third, this study can be implemented in other sectors, for example, tourism, and hospitality. Fourth, it may be fascinating to look at other fundamentals, such as age, gender, education, relation with the retailer, or the degree of involvement with online shopping to differentiate other factors.

The proposed framework can be utilized in other developing countries, as every country faces different problems according to its growth and development. The model can be examined among specific direct e-stores to compare new customers and loyal customers. Future studies can explore indirect relationships along with adding mediators and moderators in the proposed model.

Data Availability Statement

The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article, further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.

Ethics Statement

The studies involving human participants were reviewed and approved by This study involving human participants was reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of the Department of Management Sciences, Riphah International University, Faisalabad Campus, Faisalabad, Pakistan. The participants provided their written informed consent to participate in this study. The patients/participants provided their written informed consent to participate in this study.

Author Contributions

AS contributed to the conceptualization and writing the first draft of the research. JU contributed to visualizing and supervising the research. All authors who contributed to the manuscript read and approved the submitted version.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Publisher's Note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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Keywords: consumer perception, online shopping, actual experiences, customer satisfaction, direct shopping, perceived risk, delight, outrage

Citation: Rao YH, Saleem A, Saeed W and Ul Haq J (2021) Online Consumer Satisfaction During COVID-19: Perspective of a Developing Country. Front. Psychol. 12:751854. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.751854

Received: 02 August 2021; Accepted: 30 August 2021; Published: 01 October 2021.

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Copyright © 2021 Rao, Saleem, Saeed and Ul Haq. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Junaid Ul Haq, junaid041@yahoo.com

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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Managing the effectiveness of e-commerce platforms in a pandemic

Given the severe impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on business activities, this study presents a systematic framework to examine the effect of the perceived effectiveness of e-commerce platforms (PEEP) on consumer's perceived economic benefits in predicting sustainable consumption. This study adopted uses and gratification theory to base the conceptual model while adding a boundary condition of pandemic fear. The primary research method of this study is a quantitative survey and analysis. Using a sample of 617 online consumers with PLS analytical technique, this study finds a positive moderating effect of pandemic fear on the relationships among PEEP, economic benefits, and sustainable consumption. The contribution of this study is its examination of how economic benefit mediates the PEEP and sustainable consumption relationship which is dependable on the levels of pandemic fear. Implications for managers and theory are also discussed.

1. Introduction

Recent decades have witnessed an escalation of global pandemics, e.g., SARS in 2003, H5N1 in 2006, and H1N1 in 2009, each of which hampered business activities and economic growth ( Chung, 2015 ). For example, the Covid-19 virus caused a 13.5% drop in China's industry production and a 20.5% decline in retail sales in the first two months of 2020 while the U. S's stock market lost trillions of dollars, leading to a negative wealth effect and lower GDP ( Pesek, 2020 ). As scientists have long warned, infectious diseases can force business activities into a new reality that severely impacts operations and one where managers have unclear guidance about how to effectively respond ( Hudecheck et al., 2020 ). As a result of the Covid-19 impact, for instance, consumers are increasingly turning to online purchases; thus, managers need to be innovative in seeking alternative forms of supplies which raise the interest in the facilitation between firms and consumers.

The extant literature has situated the importance of e-commerce platforms that facilitate virtual interactions and include informative and insightful product information ( Chandna and Salimath, 2018 ; Li et al., 2020 ) that consumers might consider to be economic benefits ( Zhang et al., 2017 ). Such that, firms can increase sales revenue as e-commerce platforms help leverage existing consumers and attract new ones, build social groups, and ensure compatibility with legacy systems ( Lee et al., 2018 ), especially in pandemic periods ( Nielsen, 2020a , Nielsen, 2020b ). In fact, Covid-19 has disrupted and changed the business landscape as managers have been thrust into the position of operating online supplies due to the reduction of in-person contact. However, the literature has yet to address how e-commerce platforms can benefit both firms and consumers during the pandemic. As a result, managers who seek to implement online selling currently have no specific guidance to improve consumer intention for sustainable consumption over time and circumstance ( Guillen-Royo, 2019 ; Hernant and Rosengren, 2017 ).

Therefore, this study provides an exploratory study in which the author develops a model of perceived effectiveness of e-commerce platform (PEEP) and analyzes its effectiveness on consumer's sustainable consumption behavior. In so doing, the author examines if economic benefits are a potential mediator of the PEEP and sustainable consumption relationship. The author, drawing on uses and gratification theory (UGT), also takes pandemic fear into account to identify contingencies for the framework. UGT explains why consumers use a specific medium to satisfy their needs ( Kaur et al., 2020 ), providing valuable insight into the nascence of e-commerce platform adoption, information-seeking behavior, and social interactions ( Abid and Harrigan, 2020 ). In fact, rather than being a cause to worry, the Covid-19 pandemic appears to be a catalyst to testify a firm's effectiveness in operating its business activities more sustainably.

2. Conceptual background and hypothesis development

2.1. uses and gratification theory.

Uses and gratification theory (UGT) refers to an influential sociological paradigm that explains which social and psychology needs motivate consumers to select particular platforms ( Li et al., 2018 ). Advances in Internet technologies have enabled e-commerce platforms to transform retail and logistics operations that create more economic benefits as reductions of costs and delays, triggering the roles of UGT in explaining usage motivations ( Luo et al., 2011 ). For example, consumers use e-commerce platforms to interact and purchase products from retailers while retailers can provide consumers with various online shopping opportunities ( Wagner et al., 2020 ). In this regard, UGT fundamentally helps to examine what role consumer behavior and motivation plays in consumers' online interactions with firms ( Huang et al., 2014 ). If firms can effectively fulfill consumer needs with products via online platforms, consumers will be more willing to continue to interact with firms ( Li et al., 2018 ). The current study argues that UGT helps to capture how consumers adopt and utilize e-commerce platforms to satisfy their purchase needs. In terms of usability and functionality, UGT addresses the patterns and motivations of online platform's application in seeking information, interacting with contents and communities, and sustaining purchase decisions for specific situations ( Korhan and Ersoy, 2016 ). For example, the Covid-19 pandemic increased consumers purchase intention towards e-commerce platforms due to the medium's perceived health and safety benefits in contrast to those of traditional retailers. UGT helps to explain why, in light of pandemic fear, consumers increasingly engaged in online platforms to make relevant purchase considerations. In addition, UGT enables managers to identify the reasons behind consumer choice and product and service ratings ( Ray et al., 2019 ). UGT also provides managers with importance of differentiated content strategy based on transactional data and information exchange to develop content strategy more effectively ( Lim and Kumar, 2019 ). Therefore, this study employs UGT to explore the interactive linkages of PEEP, consumers' perceived economic benefits, pandemic fear, and sustainable consumption.

2.2. Perceived effectiveness of e-commerce platforms (PEEP)

E-commerce literature has well-documented that advances in Internet technology allow firms to directly sell products to consumers through e-commerce platforms ( Fan et al., 2020 ), resulting in increased sales ( Lee et al., 2018 ). However, consumers cannot physically examine products when buying online, which leads to product uncertainty ( Song et al., 2020 ). The literature also indicates that online customer information is collected and tracked for data-driven marketing efforts but are inadequately safeguarded ( Bandara et al., 2020 ). For example, security risk (e.g., personal information leakage) has been found to have strong negative effects on online transactions ( Hubert et al., 2017 ). This is important because today's e-commerce platforms offer various online products and services from electronic devices to high-tech products, health and beauty to food, and fashion to sport and travel with a large volume of financial transactions. When consumers use e-commerce platforms to book a hotel room or flight ticket with online payments, they must provide their personal and bank account information which needs to be protected from leakage and fault behaviors or consumers will probably face with potential risks and dangers, otherwise ( Hubert et al., 2017 ). Based on UGT, consumer perception of online transactional safety increases continuance intention and motivation to write positive reviews of products and services. Consequently, online safeguards are critical for personal and transactional data ( Liao and Shi, 2017 ).

Furthermore, the literature recommends that online safeguards include credit card guarantees and privacy protection ( Plangger and Watson, 2015 ; Wang et al., 2019 ). For instance, when receiving online payments, e-commerce platforms have privacy policies and agreements in place with financial companies (e.g., banks) to protect customers against fraudulent actions ( Chang and Chang, 2014 ; Fang et al., 2014 ; Kaur et al., 2020a ; Liao and Yang, 2020 ). Guided by UGT, online consumers often express concern for privacy and security when participating in the on-going brand relationship ( Simon, 2017 ). This theory also suggests that consumers only interact with firms when triggering gratification from firm commitment ( Simon, 2017 ). Therefore, the author conceptualizes PEEP as an online customer's perception that e-commerce platforms have safeguard mechanisms in place to protect online transactions from potential risks in both regular and pandemic times.

2.3. Economic benefits

In e-commercial literature, the conventional meaning of economic benefit largely refers to the consumer perception that e-commerce platforms offer price discounts, promotions, or other preferential activities ( Liu et al., 2019 ). Liu et al. (2019) indicate that economic benefit derived from e-commerce platforms can generate positive emotional responses, which in turn leads to online purchase intention. In line with this logic, Wang and Herrando (2019) suggest that e-commerce platforms enhance interactions between seller and consumers and among consumers, as these interactions impact increasing online shopping behavior and generate economic benefits. Based on UGT, economic benefits also trigger consumer intention to engage in sustainable consumption during uncertain situations. Benefits, for instance, may include coupons, cash-backs, and discounts ( Ray et al., 2019 ). UGT also suggests that if commercial offerings do not match consumers' expectations, the commercial quid pro quo relationship may be triggered by consumers ( Simon, 2017 ). Additionally, this study adds that economic benefits pertain to consumers’ perceived economic benefits (e.g., cost savings and discounts) for purchasing from e-commerce platforms during pandemic periods.

2.4. Pandemic fear

A pandemic refers to a new disease that most people do not have an immunity to and one that spreads worldwide ( WHO, 2010 ), and pandemics are becoming one of the biggest threats for the world today ( Harvard Global Health Institute, 2020 ). According to the Harvard Global Health Institute (2020) , an infectious disease could rapidly cause millions of deaths globally, destabilize governments, and restrict trade and travel. The recent Covid-19 virus, for instance, has infected 422,945 people worldwide, resulting in 18,907 deaths at the time of writing (March 25, 2020), and accounting for 3.4% of death in comparison with seasonal flu (1.0%) ( Worldometer, 2020 ). This fear of contagion becomes an emerging issue, such that it is imperative to learn how pandemic fear influences consumer spending and purchase behavior ( Khan and Huremović, 2019 ). The consumer behavior literature indicates that fear refers to the negative consequences of a specific event that can lead to changes in consumer behavior and attitude ( Solomon, 2017 ). In this regard, the Covid-19 pandemic has changed consumer purchasing behavior as consumers fear contagion ( Laato et al., 2020 ; Prentice et al., 2020 ). For example, a prompt survey by Nielsen, 2020a , Nielsen, 2020b indicates that 45% of Vietnamese consumers purchased products intended for storage, and 25% purchased these products online, while Taiwanese consumers purchased additional instant noodles. In addition, Vietnam firms have changed their support programs (e.g., home delivery and masks and sanitizers at stable prices), the result of which is a notable growth in sales ( Vietnam News, 2020 ). Collectively, this study conceptualizes pandemic fear as consumer contagion fear, a belief which influences the way consumers use e-commerce platforms to purchase products.

2.5. Extending the concept of sustainable consumption

Sustainable consumption refers to consumers' adoption of green lifestyle to satisfy their needs without damaging the earth's resources or putting future generation at risks ( Sharma and Jha, 2017 ). In line with this logic, previous studies have synthesized common threads of sustainable consumption as care for nature, self, and community, factors at the heart of contemporary marketing discipline ( Lim, 2017 ). Much of the literature documents a wide range of positive outcomes for customers to include happiness and life satisfaction resulting from product and service interactions ( Guillen-Royo, 2019 ). Conversely, the existing literature also evidences that unsustainable consumption patterns cause adverse social, environmental, and economic side effects ( Sharma and Jha, 2017 ). For example, Covid-19 has sparked worldwide alarm, as it spreads rapidly, through human-to-human contact ( Harvard Medical School, 2020 ). The virus can be spread through small droplets as the infected person coughs or exhales ( WHO, 2020 ). To reduce the spread of the virus, consumption practices should turn to e-commerce platforms as this can increase efficiency of shopping, enable new purchases, and facilitate information access and online communication between consumers and sellers ( Guillen-Royo, 2019 ). Given the existing literature and Covid-19's impact, this study extends the concept of sustainable consumption as “ purchasing products and services from e-commerce platforms to satisfy needs and wants, and to increase health safety for selves and community during a pandemic period .”

2.6. Hypotheses

This section describes the development of the research model to explain how PEEP affects economic benefits which subsequently lead to sustainable consumption under the boundary condition of pandemic fear. In doing so, this study argues that pandemic fear positively moderates (1) the relationship between PEEP and economic benefits, and (2) does so in the relationship between economic benefits and sustainable consumption. Fig. 1 presents the proposed relationships.

Proposed model.

PEEP plays a key part in the strategy to create online seller product and service credibility. This is because the online customer is unable to physically interact with the seller in the virtual environment, and this might trigger privacy risk concerns ( Liao and Shi, 2017 ). With PEEP, the customer can be assured that personal and transactional data collected from e-commerce platforms are protected. According to Pappas (2016) , higher levels of trust in the online platforms safety and security help to construct a consumer belief in e-vender credibility which ultimately increases the likelihood of a sale. In an online situation, e-commerce platforms provide customers various benefits, e.g., privacy and security, information search and provision, product reviews, promotion, and order fulfillment ( Qin et al., 2020 ). Plangger and Watson (2015) added to the literature that while advances in information technology have facilitated business operations to be more effective, e.g., less costly and data rich, firms also need to protect customer privacy and avoid risks that can threaten the long-term relationships. From the UGT perspective, e-commerce platforms generate economic benefits for customers such as privacy and cost savings ( Huang et al., 2014 ). In addition, the Covid-19 pandemic, and related fear of contagion, has created worldwide chaos, e.g., hoarding, market gyration, and travel restrictions ( McNulty, 2020 ). The pandemic has triggered infection fears and social distance in which the normal supplying routines are insufficient while consumers are increasingly turning to online purchase whereas raising the important role of e-commerce platforms. The literature also situates that e-commerce platforms provide fruitful benefits for a wide range of business from restaurants to florist and laundry to medicines while customers are becoming more adaptive with online products ( Zhang et al., 2019 ). As the Covid-19 virus can be spread via person-to-person contact, and effective medications or vaccines have yet to be found ( Smith and Prosser, 2020 ), consumers can be expected to make more online purchases to reduce exposure ( Nielsen, 2020a , Nielsen, 2020b ). The pandemic had become an unprecedented grand challenge that created many social, health, and economic problems to society at large ( Bacq et al., 2020 ). For example, the pandemic has led to the lower accessibility of in-store selling retailers due to higher health concerns of consumers which triggered a sudden increase in demands for alternative distribution channels ( Pantano et al., 2020 ). In such situations, the author believes that pandemic fear will increase the relationship between PEEP and economic benefit. As so:

Online customer pandemic fear positively moderates the relationship between PEEP and economic benefits, such that PEEP influences economic benefits more strongly when pandemic fear is higher.

Furthermore, the issue of economic benefits facilitating consumer sustainable consumption intention has been explicitly addressed in the literature ( Dabbous and Tarhini, 2019 ). The rationale behind this is that consumers perceived economic well-being, a comparison of current situation to a past situation when make a purchasing decision ( Verma and Sinha, 2018 ). Some researchers consider economic benefits to be as important as product attributes when exploring online purchase intention ( Lee et al., 2018 ), while others consider it to be a driver of sustainable consumption ( Dabbous and Tarhini, 2019 ). This relationship is often based on a consumer responsibility, e.g., social, environmental, and ethical concerns ( Lim, 2017 ), or emotional responsibility ( Luchs et al., 2015 ). According to UGT, consumers often reciprocate the benefits they receive in the form of feelings of appreciation ( Simon, 2017 ). However, the current Covid-19 outbreak has added health concerns to this and the need for mediums where firms and consumers can interact without in-person contact. Covid-19 has killed thousands and set millions in quarantine ( Worldometer, 2020 ), as it spreads easily with breathtaking speed. The fear of Covid-19 stirs up the role of e-commerce that supports social interaction and stakeholders’ contributions to provide online buying and selling of products and services ( Addo et al., 2020 ). Pantano et al. (2020) indicated that while the Covid-19 pandemic has produced anxiety, depression and stress in society, consumers are increasingly purchasing products and services through online platforms as they perceived the safety offered by the Internet and online technologies. Accordingly, the Covid-19 pandemic has increased health concerns as well as the need for online transactions to protect sellers and buyers from infection. This study proposes that pandemic fear facilitates the relationship between perceived economic benefits and sustainable consumption in the context of e-commerce platforms. Therefore:

Online customer pandemic fear positively moderates the relationship between economic benefits and sustainable consumption, such that economic benefits influence sustainable consumption more strongly when pandemic fear is higher.

3.1. Sample

The sample consists of 617 online consumers from the Vietnam-based market. Sampling online consumers was adopted because the recent Covid-19 pandemic has changed the shopping behavior in Vietnam. A survey by Nielsen Vietnam (2020) shows that 95% of consumers feel afraid of the Covid-19 virus, resulting in a 25% increase in online shopping purchases. As consumers increasingly use online methods to prepare for a possible emergency, firms need to ensure smooth, frictionless, and fast experiences on their e-commerce platforms that meet customer needs and expectations ( Abramovich, 2020 ). Thus, a study of online consumer behavior in a pandemic context can provide firms with useful information for their business operations.

3.2. Data collection

Data were collected from a sample of 1000 online consumers using Facebook. A valid online consumer is identified as one who had online shopping experience during the Covid-19 outbreak (January 1 to March 15, 2020). The author sent the questionnaire to fifty key social networkers whose Facebook accounts have at least 500 friends and followers, asking them to contact 20 subsequent respondents from their Facebook lists. This technique is useful when respondents are difficult to identify and contact while the survey needs to be conducted expediently ( Cooper and Schindler, 2013 ). The author tracked the survey's progress daily using the key networkers' Facebook walls, tags, and messengers. Out of the initial 1000 invitees, 617 valid responses were obtained (61.7% response rate). The author assessed nonresponse bias by comparing early and late responses through t-tests of means among the research constructs which of results showed no differences (ranging from −1.06 to 0.24, p  > .05). A chi-square test for PEEP ( χ 2  = 14.827, p  = .53), economic benefits ( χ 2  = 1.884, p  = .75), pandemic fear ( χ 2  = 10.884, p  = .28), and sustainable consumption ( χ 2  = 16.656, p  = .16) indicated no differences at the 95% significance level. Accordingly, nonresponse bias and common method bias were not a concern in this study. The respondents (227 males and 390 females) were on average 27.5 years of age (ranging 18 to 64, SD  = 8.85), with an average monthly income of 13, 309, 141VND ( SD  = 11,730,842). Finally, most of the consumers (71.4%) held a bachelor's degree, 19.6% held a master's degree or above, and 9.0% held a college degree or below. The detailed demographic characteristics are provided in Table 1 .

Demographic characteristics (n = 617).

3.3. Instrument

This study designed online questionnaire using Google Forms for the data collection. The scales of the research constructs were adopted, revised, and translated from English to Vietnamese as the survey was administered in Vietnam. The survey was pretested with 20 online consumers to detect possible weaknesses in design and instrumentation. This is important to avoid negative consequences to the survey operation such as ambiguities, confusions, and offensive questions ( Cooper and Schindler, 2013 ). On the basis of the consumer's comments, this study refined some items and included the final questionnaire form. Responses were recorded using a 5-point agreement scale.

3.4. Measures

First, measures of PEEP were adopted from Fang et al. (2014) . Second, economic benefits and sustainable consumption were measured using the scales developed by Dabbous and Tarhini (2019) . Finally, pandemic fear was operationalized on the basis of Chatterjee et al. (2019) . The author provides details of the constructs in Appendix 1 .

3.5. Control variables

Demographic characteristics, such as age, gender, education, and income were included as control variables to capture possible effects on sustainable consumption. This was also done to ensure that the results were not biased by not including control variables ( Cooper and Schindler, 2013 ).

3.6. Analytical technique

This study tested the proposed model using the two-stage partial least squares method which allows for an examination of the causal relationship among latent constructs ( Hair et al., 2011 ). To examine the moderating effect, Vinzi et al. (2010) procedure was followed. This study first centered each indicator of moderator and predictor variables and then multiplied them to create interaction terms. The strength of the moderating effects was determined by comparing R-square changes through effect size ( f 2 ) ( Vinzi et al., 2010 ).

4.1. Measurement quality

First, the author assessed construct reliability and validity using composite reliability (CR) and average variance extracted (AVE). As shown in Table 2 , factor loadings (0.71-0.90), CRs (0.81-0.91), and AVEs (0.59-0.78) appeared to be higher than the thresholds of 0.70, 0.70, and 0.50 ( Hair et al., 2011 ), respectively. These results confirm indicator reliability, internal consistency reliability, and convergent validity. In addition, the variance inflation factors ranging from 1.35 to 2.42 were below the cutoff of 5 ( Hair et al., 2011 ), removing the multicollinearity threat.

Measurement model.

Second, the author assessed the discriminant validity using Fornell-Larcker Criterion and Heterotrait-Monotrait Ratio (HTMT) ( Henseler et al., 2015 ). More specifically, the correlation matrix in Table 3 shows the highest correlation was 0.57, less than the 0.71 cutoff ( MacKenzie et al., 2011 ) while all construct correlations were lower than the square root of AVE of their own constructs ( Hair et al., 2011 ). Appendix 1 also shows that all items loaded well onto their own construct and poorly on others. In addition, the largest ratio of HTMT (0.68), shown in Fig. 2 , was far below the 0.90 benchmark recommended by Henseler et al. (2015) . Collectively, both Fornell-Larcker Criterion and HTMT results confirm discriminant validity.

Descriptive statistics and correlations.

Note: The bold values on diagonal are the square root of average variance extracted, while the others represent correlation matrix.

Heterotrait-Monotrait ratio.

4.2. Hypothesis testing results

As shown in Fig. 3 , the model explains 20% of the variance in economic benefits and 37.85% of the variance in sustainable consumption. H1 , which stated that pandemic fear positively moderates the relationship between PEEP and economic benefits, was supported ( β  = .07, t  = 1.85, p  < .10). Fig. 4 depicts this moderating effect. As predicted, at high levels of pandemic fear ( Mean  + 1 SD ), economic benefits increase as PEEP increases; however, low levels of pandemic fear ( Mean – 1 SD ) slightly enhance the relationship between PEEP and economic benefits. H2 , which stated that pandemic fear positively moderates the relationship between economic benefits and sustainable consumption, was also supported ( β  = .12, t  = 3.00, p  < .01). As plotted in Fig. 4 , sustainable consumption increases rapidly as economic benefits increase when pandemic fear is higher ( Mean  + 1 SD ). At low levels of pandemic fear ( Mean −1 SD ), sustainable consumption does not increase regardless of the effect of economic benefits. In addition, the relationship between PEEP and economic benefits was positive and significant ( β  = .42, t  = 12.2, p  < .01) as was the relationship between economic benefits and sustainable consumption ( β  = .56, t  = 17.87, p  < .01), thus confirming the mediating role of economic benefits in the relationship between PEEP and sustainable consumption.

Results of proposed model.

Moderating effects of pandemic fear.

This study further determines the substantivity of the moderating effects by comparing R-square changes in the model through f 2 (effect size) ( Vinzi et al., 2010 ). In doing so, the author, as illustrated in Appendix 2 , runs two models in which Model 1 includes only direct effects and Model 2 adds interaction effects and control variables. As shown in Appendix 2 , PEEP significantly increased R 2 of economic benefits by 1.6%, indicating a small effect size ( f 2  = 0.02). The interaction effect of pandemic fear with economic benefits also significantly increased R 2 of sustainable consumption by 4.4%, indicating a small-to-medium effect size ( f 2  = 0.07). Thus, the interaction terms increased R 2 significantly with f 2 values surpassing the threshold of 0.02 suggested by Vinzi et al. (2010) , thus confirming the substantive significance of the moderating effects.

5. Discussion

The findings support the research hypotheses that for firms operating in pandemic periods, PEEP is an important determinant of sustainable consumption through economic benefits. The results further suggest that pandemic fear increases the positive effect of PEEP on economic benefits which subsequently exerts a strong effect on sustainable consumption. This study adds to the literature by including the boundary effect of pandemic fear in the conceptual model to provide more insight about how to increase managerial effectiveness.

5.1. Theoretical and managerial implications

This study holds several theoretical and managerial implications. The author adopts UGT ( Huang et al., 2014 ; Simon, 2017 ) to understand and extend the concept of PEEP ( Fang et al., 2014 ) and how sustainable consumption is triggered in uncertain environments (the Covd-19 pandemic). The results of the mediating effect indicate that PEEP is important to sustainable consumption through economic benefits. The results indicate that personal and transactional safeguards of PEEP are conductive to facilitate a consumer's perceived economic benefits in online business environments. This adds to the study of Fang et al. (2014) by examining the focal role of PEEP in predicting changes in consumer consumption behavior. Second, during pandemic periods, consumers are increasingly concerned more about engaging in sustainable consumption through e-commerce platforms as the findings signify economic benefits influence sustainable consumption. These findings are consistent with Dabbous and Tarhini (2019) who suggest that economic benefits influence consumer sustainable consumption intention. Thus, the current study, through the lens of UGT, offers a new theoretical view of the relationship among PEEP, economic benefits, and sustainable consumption. Furthermore, pandemic fear is an important moderator as it increases the impacts of PEEP and economic benefits which ultimately enhance sustainable consumption. This finding extends the fear theory of Chatterjee et al. (2019) , who suggest that fear negatively influences consumer buying intention in risky or uncertain situations.

Given the findings, firms should reallocate online resources to employ e-commerce platforms to serve customers, as e-commerce platforms can facilitate communication among sellers and buyers on the basis of building trust and credibility to establish and maintain the customer-seller relationship. In a pandemic condition like Codvid-19, high levels of pandemic fear motivate consumers to rely more on PEEP for transactional activities which requires trust-building and risk-reducing potential. As such, firms should seek opportunities to provide consumers effective online safeguards. For example, e-wallet (e.g., MoMo: https://momo.vn/ ) secure online transactional information, as it only requires consumers to enter their user name and password at the end of the purchase, and all data is encrypted. Business managers should reinforce the proliferation of technological application with suppliers, retailers, and legal institutions to build reliable platforms to deliver products and services while utilizing online platforms as a strategic marketing orientation to promote online transactions to reduce the infections of the Covid-19 pandemic. Firms also need to require credit card guarantees from financial institutions (e.g., banks) to compensate online consumers in case of fraudulent seller behavior ( Fang et al., 2014 ). It is critical for firms to increase PEEPs and enhance interactive communication with consumers by providing online safeguards effectively. For instance, they can offer specific guarantees and privacy protection by publishing customer reviews, as reviews generate consumer confidence products and services ( Mattison Thompson et al., 2019 ). Note that when buying online, consumers also focus on economic benefits, and this positively affects sustainable consumption during pandemic periods. Firms should emphasize the consumer savings (e.g., lower costs in contrast with the traditional counterparts) and improved transaction performance and efficiency that result from the use of e-commerce platforms ( Dabbous and Tarhini, 2019 ). In addition, consumer's fear of the Covid-19 pandemic boost online purchase intention. This requires that firms not only provide online products and services but also e-commerce platforms that include an online care center to ensure online consumers' health and safety (e.g., Lazada offers a Covid-19's online help center, https://www.lazada.vn/ ).

5.2. Limitations and research direction

In this exploratory study, there appears to be several limitations which provide opportunities for future research. First, the conceptual model was tested with online consumers in an emerging economy (Vietnam), and the respondents viewed e-commerce platforms from their own perspectives. However, their characteristics may differ remarkedly from consumers in more advanced economies (the U.S.). Therefore, subsequent research should cross-validate the empirical model by obtaining data from different economies in order to provide more insightful findings. Future explorations should also assess the e-commerce platforms' operation model from the perceptions of firm managers that would be more valuable. Second, the conclusions of this study should be interpreted as preliminary inasmuch as pandemic fear was observed for a brief period (January 1 to March 15, 2020) whereas consumer perception and behavior may vary over time and be dependable on Covid-19's lifespan. In this regard, a longitudinal framework which includes a time-series database that examines the boundary effect of pandemic fear on the PEEP, economic benefits, and sustainable consumption relationship can provide more details about probable causation which can then increase strategic effectiveness. Another limitation of this study is the target group. As reviewed, experts situated that a subculture associated with social networking sites (e.g., Facebook) should be considered because this may influence economic benefits. Many issues can increase countable problems in supply chains, lack of assortment, and delayed deliveries that led to the change in behavioral and attitude assessment of consumer toward e-commerce. Given this, future research should focus on multiple cultures and social networking sites to compare different perspectives on supply chains, lack of assortment, and delayed deliveries will provide more insights about the effectiveness of e-commerce platforms. In addition, the change in consumer wealth is also as a function of time during a pandemic time while the purchasing power of money is changing. Therefore, future research might focus on consumer-specific financial situations, which will be valuable in explaining consumer purchasing behavior.

6. Conclusion

This study is among the first to provide a systematic framework to examine the PEEP, economic benefits, and sustainable consumption relationship under the boundary condition of pandemic fear. For researchers, this study extended the concept of economic benefit and empirically found support for its mediational role in the relationship between PEEP and sustainable growth while confirming the moderating effect of pandemic fear. Drawing on the UGT, the current study adds to the retailing literature by introducing a mediation and moderating-based model based on the UGT in a global pandemic. Future research should be replicated in diverse environments and over time to increase the power of the conceptual model and theory. For managers, the findings showed that high levels of pandemic fear required PEEP to build an effective mechanism to protect online personal and transactional data such as information leakage and credit card fraud and economical offerings to increase customer consumptions. This study suggests that managers see pandemics (Covid-19 virus), which can happen at any time, as catalysts to prepare and respond more effectively. In addition, firms must strategically build e-commerce platforms and operate in conjunction with offline methods for supplies because consumers turn to online sources to avoid infectious diseases and are increasingly engaging in sustainable consumption behaviors. Overall, this study provides a new perspective of the critical roles of PEEP and economic benefits and sets a supplementing point for future research to further explore sustainable consumption behavior of customers in the boundary condition of pandemic fear.

Acknowledgments

The author would like to extend his appreciation to the Editor-in-Chief, Professor Harry Timmermans for his efforts in handling the review process, the anonymous reviewers for their developmental feedback, and James Kang, Ruth Kang, and John Baker, for their valuable comments on the early draft of the study.

Lobel Trong Thuy Tran is a lecturer in the Faculty of Business Administration at Ton Duc Thang University in Vietnam. He received his PhD in the Department of Business Administration at Asia University in Taiwan. His research interests include marketing strategy, consumer and social media, education marketing, tourism and hospitality innovation, decision making under uncertainties, and organizational behavior and HRM.

Appendix 1. Items and cross-loadings.

Appendix 2. results details..

Note: * p  < .10, ** p  < .01. PEEP: Perceived effectiveness of e-commerce platforms.

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Online Sellers' Website Quality Influencing Online Buyers' Purchase Intention

Tan Shea Lee 1 , Mohd Shoki Md Ariff 1 , Norhayati Zakuan 1 , Zuraidah Sulaiman 1 and Muhamad Zameri Mat Saman 2

Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering , Volume 131 , 4th International Conference on Manufacturing, Optimization, Industrial and Material Engineering (MOIME 2016) 19–20 March 2016, Bali, Indonesia Citation Tan Shea Lee et al 2016 IOP Conf. Ser.: Mater. Sci. Eng. 131 012014 DOI 10.1088/1757-899X/131/1/012014

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1 Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Management, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Skudai, Johor, Malaysia

2 Faculty of Mechanical, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Skudai, Johor, Malaysia

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The increase adoption of Internet among young users in Malaysia provides high prospect for online seller. Young users aged between 18 and 25 years old are important to online sellers because they are actively involved in online purchasing and this group of online buyers is expected to dominate future online market. Therefore, examining online sellers' website quality and online buyers' purchase intention is crucial. Based on the Theory of planned behavior (TPB), a conceptual model of online sellers' website quality and purchase intention of online buyers was developed. E-tailQ instrument was adapted in this study which composed of website design, reliability/fulfillment, security, privacy & trust, and customer service. Using online questionnaire and convenience sampling procedure, primary data were obtained from 240 online buyers aged between 18 to 25 years old. It was discovered that website design, website reliability/fulfillment, website security, privacy & trust, and website customer service positively and significantly influence intention of online buyers to continuously purchase via online channels. This study concludes that online sellers' website quality is important in predicting online buyers' purchase intention. Recommendation and implication of this study were discussed focusing on how online sellers should improve their website quality to stay competitive in online business.

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Home » 500+ Quantitative Research Titles and Topics

500+ Quantitative Research Titles and Topics

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Quantitative research involves collecting and analyzing numerical data to identify patterns, trends, and relationships among variables. This method is widely used in social sciences, psychology , economics , and other fields where researchers aim to understand human behavior and phenomena through statistical analysis. If you are looking for a quantitative research topic, there are numerous areas to explore, from analyzing data on a specific population to studying the effects of a particular intervention or treatment. In this post, we will provide some ideas for quantitative research topics that may inspire you and help you narrow down your interests.

Quantitative Research Titles

Quantitative Research Titles are as follows:

Business and Economics

• “Statistical Analysis of Supply Chain Disruptions on Retail Sales”
• “Quantitative Examination of Consumer Loyalty Programs in the Fast Food Industry”
• “Predicting Stock Market Trends Using Machine Learning Algorithms”
• “Influence of Workplace Environment on Employee Productivity: A Quantitative Study”
• “Impact of Economic Policies on Small Businesses: A Regression Analysis”
• “Customer Satisfaction and Profit Margins: A Quantitative Correlation Study”
• “Analyzing the Role of Marketing in Brand Recognition: A Statistical Overview”
• “Quantitative Effects of Corporate Social Responsibility on Consumer Trust”
• “Price Elasticity of Demand for Luxury Goods: A Case Study”
• “The Relationship Between Fiscal Policy and Inflation Rates: A Time-Series Analysis”
• “Factors Influencing E-commerce Conversion Rates: A Quantitative Exploration”
• “Examining the Correlation Between Interest Rates and Consumer Spending”
• “Standardized Testing and Academic Performance: A Quantitative Evaluation”
• “Teaching Strategies and Student Learning Outcomes in Secondary Schools: A Quantitative Study”
• “The Relationship Between Extracurricular Activities and Academic Success”
• “Influence of Parental Involvement on Children’s Educational Achievements”
• “Digital Literacy in Primary Schools: A Quantitative Assessment”
• “Learning Outcomes in Blended vs. Traditional Classrooms: A Comparative Analysis”
• “Correlation Between Teacher Experience and Student Success Rates”
• “Analyzing the Impact of Classroom Technology on Reading Comprehension”
• “Gender Differences in STEM Fields: A Quantitative Analysis of Enrollment Data”
• “The Relationship Between Homework Load and Academic Burnout”
• “Assessment of Special Education Programs in Public Schools”
• “Role of Peer Tutoring in Improving Academic Performance: A Quantitative Study”

Medicine and Health Sciences

• “The Impact of Sleep Duration on Cardiovascular Health: A Cross-sectional Study”
• “Analyzing the Efficacy of Various Antidepressants: A Meta-Analysis”
• “Patient Satisfaction in Telehealth Services: A Quantitative Assessment”
• “Dietary Habits and Incidence of Heart Disease: A Quantitative Review”
• “Correlations Between Stress Levels and Immune System Functioning”
• “Smoking and Lung Function: A Quantitative Analysis”
• “Influence of Physical Activity on Mental Health in Older Adults”
• “Antibiotic Resistance Patterns in Community Hospitals: A Quantitative Study”
• “The Efficacy of Vaccination Programs in Controlling Disease Spread: A Time-Series Analysis”
• “Role of Social Determinants in Health Outcomes: A Quantitative Exploration”
• “Impact of Hospital Design on Patient Recovery Rates”
• “Quantitative Analysis of Dietary Choices and Obesity Rates in Children”

Social Sciences

• “Examining Social Inequality through Wage Distribution: A Quantitative Study”
• “Impact of Parental Divorce on Child Development: A Longitudinal Study”
• “Social Media and its Effect on Political Polarization: A Quantitative Analysis”
• “The Relationship Between Religion and Social Attitudes: A Statistical Overview”
• “Influence of Socioeconomic Status on Educational Achievement”
• “Quantifying the Effects of Community Programs on Crime Reduction”
• “Public Opinion and Immigration Policies: A Quantitative Exploration”
• “Analyzing the Gender Representation in Political Offices: A Quantitative Study”
• “Impact of Mass Media on Public Opinion: A Regression Analysis”
• “Influence of Urban Design on Social Interactions in Communities”
• “The Role of Social Support in Mental Health Outcomes: A Quantitative Analysis”
• “Examining the Relationship Between Substance Abuse and Employment Status”

Engineering and Technology

• “Performance Evaluation of Different Machine Learning Algorithms in Autonomous Vehicles”
• “Material Science: A Quantitative Analysis of Stress-Strain Properties in Various Alloys”
• “Impacts of Data Center Cooling Solutions on Energy Consumption”
• “Analyzing the Reliability of Renewable Energy Sources in Grid Management”
• “Optimization of 5G Network Performance: A Quantitative Assessment”
• “Quantifying the Effects of Aerodynamics on Fuel Efficiency in Commercial Airplanes”
• “The Relationship Between Software Complexity and Bug Frequency”
• “Machine Learning in Predictive Maintenance: A Quantitative Analysis”
• “Wearable Technologies and their Impact on Healthcare Monitoring”
• “Quantitative Assessment of Cybersecurity Measures in Financial Institutions”
• “Analysis of Noise Pollution from Urban Transportation Systems”
• “The Influence of Architectural Design on Energy Efficiency in Buildings”

Quantitative Research Topics

Quantitative Research Topics are as follows:

• The effects of social media on self-esteem among teenagers.
• A comparative study of academic achievement among students of single-sex and co-educational schools.
• The impact of gender on leadership styles in the workplace.
• The correlation between parental involvement and academic performance of students.
• The effect of mindfulness meditation on stress levels in college students.
• The relationship between employee motivation and job satisfaction.
• The effectiveness of online learning compared to traditional classroom learning.
• The correlation between sleep duration and academic performance among college students.
• The impact of exercise on mental health among adults.
• The relationship between social support and psychological well-being among cancer patients.
• The effect of caffeine consumption on sleep quality.
• A comparative study of the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy and pharmacotherapy in treating depression.
• The relationship between physical attractiveness and job opportunities.
• The correlation between smartphone addiction and academic performance among high school students.
• The impact of music on memory recall among adults.
• The effectiveness of parental control software in limiting children’s online activity.
• The relationship between social media use and body image dissatisfaction among young adults.
• The correlation between academic achievement and parental involvement among minority students.
• The impact of early childhood education on academic performance in later years.
• The effectiveness of employee training and development programs in improving organizational performance.
• The relationship between socioeconomic status and access to healthcare services.
• The correlation between social support and academic achievement among college students.
• The impact of technology on communication skills among children.
• The effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction programs in reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression.
• The relationship between employee turnover and organizational culture.
• The correlation between job satisfaction and employee engagement.
• The impact of video game violence on aggressive behavior among children.
• The effectiveness of nutritional education in promoting healthy eating habits among adolescents.
• The relationship between bullying and academic performance among middle school students.
• The correlation between teacher expectations and student achievement.
• The impact of gender stereotypes on career choices among high school students.
• The effectiveness of anger management programs in reducing violent behavior.
• The relationship between social support and recovery from substance abuse.
• The correlation between parent-child communication and adolescent drug use.
• The impact of technology on family relationships.
• The effectiveness of smoking cessation programs in promoting long-term abstinence.
• The relationship between personality traits and academic achievement.
• The correlation between stress and job performance among healthcare professionals.
• The impact of online privacy concerns on social media use.
• The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy in treating anxiety disorders.
• The relationship between teacher feedback and student motivation.
• The correlation between physical activity and academic performance among elementary school students.
• The impact of parental divorce on academic achievement among children.
• The effectiveness of diversity training in improving workplace relationships.
• The relationship between childhood trauma and adult mental health.
• The correlation between parental involvement and substance abuse among adolescents.
• The impact of social media use on romantic relationships among young adults.
• The effectiveness of assertiveness training in improving communication skills.
• The relationship between parental expectations and academic achievement among high school students.
• The correlation between sleep quality and mood among adults.
• The impact of video game addiction on academic performance among college students.
• The effectiveness of group therapy in treating eating disorders.
• The relationship between job stress and job performance among teachers.
• The correlation between mindfulness and emotional regulation.
• The impact of social media use on self-esteem among college students.
• The effectiveness of parent-teacher communication in promoting academic achievement among elementary school students.
• The impact of renewable energy policies on carbon emissions
• The relationship between employee motivation and job performance
• The effectiveness of psychotherapy in treating eating disorders
• The correlation between physical activity and cognitive function in older adults
• The effect of childhood poverty on adult health outcomes
• The impact of urbanization on biodiversity conservation
• The relationship between work-life balance and employee job satisfaction
• The effectiveness of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) in treating trauma
• The correlation between parenting styles and child behavior
• The effect of social media on political polarization
• The impact of foreign aid on economic development
• The relationship between workplace diversity and organizational performance
• The effectiveness of dialectical behavior therapy in treating borderline personality disorder
• The correlation between childhood abuse and adult mental health outcomes
• The effect of sleep deprivation on cognitive function
• The impact of trade policies on international trade and economic growth
• The relationship between employee engagement and organizational commitment
• The effectiveness of cognitive therapy in treating postpartum depression
• The correlation between family meals and child obesity rates
• The effect of parental involvement in sports on child athletic performance
• The impact of social entrepreneurship on sustainable development
• The relationship between emotional labor and job burnout
• The effectiveness of art therapy in treating dementia
• The correlation between social media use and academic procrastination
• The effect of poverty on childhood educational attainment
• The impact of urban green spaces on mental health
• The relationship between job insecurity and employee well-being
• The effectiveness of virtual reality exposure therapy in treating anxiety disorders
• The correlation between childhood trauma and substance abuse
• The effect of screen time on children’s social skills
• The impact of trade unions on employee job satisfaction
• The relationship between cultural intelligence and cross-cultural communication
• The effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy in treating chronic pain
• The correlation between childhood obesity and adult health outcomes
• The effect of gender diversity on corporate performance
• The impact of environmental regulations on industry competitiveness.
• The impact of renewable energy policies on greenhouse gas emissions
• The relationship between workplace diversity and team performance
• The effectiveness of group therapy in treating substance abuse
• The correlation between parental involvement and social skills in early childhood
• The effect of technology use on sleep patterns
• The impact of government regulations on small business growth
• The relationship between job satisfaction and employee turnover
• The effectiveness of virtual reality therapy in treating anxiety disorders
• The correlation between parental involvement and academic motivation in adolescents
• The effect of social media on political engagement
• The impact of urbanization on mental health
• The relationship between corporate social responsibility and consumer trust
• The correlation between early childhood education and social-emotional development
• The effect of screen time on cognitive development in young children
• The impact of trade policies on global economic growth
• The relationship between workplace diversity and innovation
• The effectiveness of family therapy in treating eating disorders
• The correlation between parental involvement and college persistence
• The effect of social media on body image and self-esteem
• The impact of environmental regulations on business competitiveness
• The relationship between job autonomy and job satisfaction
• The effectiveness of virtual reality therapy in treating phobias
• The correlation between parental involvement and academic achievement in college
• The effect of social media on sleep quality
• The impact of immigration policies on social integration
• The relationship between workplace diversity and employee well-being
• The effectiveness of psychodynamic therapy in treating personality disorders
• The correlation between early childhood education and executive function skills
• The effect of parental involvement on STEM education outcomes
• The impact of trade policies on domestic employment rates
• The relationship between job insecurity and mental health
• The effectiveness of exposure therapy in treating PTSD
• The correlation between parental involvement and social mobility
• The effect of social media on intergroup relations
• The impact of urbanization on air pollution and respiratory health.
• The relationship between emotional intelligence and leadership effectiveness
• The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy in treating depression
• The correlation between early childhood education and language development
• The effect of parental involvement on academic achievement in STEM fields
• The impact of trade policies on income inequality
• The relationship between workplace diversity and customer satisfaction
• The effectiveness of mindfulness-based therapy in treating anxiety disorders
• The correlation between parental involvement and civic engagement in adolescents
• The effect of social media on mental health among teenagers
• The impact of public transportation policies on traffic congestion
• The relationship between job stress and job performance
• The effectiveness of group therapy in treating depression
• The correlation between early childhood education and cognitive development
• The effect of parental involvement on academic motivation in college
• The impact of environmental regulations on energy consumption
• The relationship between workplace diversity and employee engagement
• The effectiveness of art therapy in treating PTSD
• The correlation between parental involvement and academic success in vocational education
• The effect of social media on academic achievement in college
• The impact of tax policies on economic growth
• The relationship between job flexibility and work-life balance
• The effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy in treating anxiety disorders
• The correlation between early childhood education and social competence
• The effect of parental involvement on career readiness in high school
• The impact of immigration policies on crime rates
• The relationship between workplace diversity and employee retention
• The effectiveness of play therapy in treating trauma
• The correlation between parental involvement and academic success in online learning
• The effect of social media on body dissatisfaction among women
• The impact of urbanization on public health infrastructure
• The relationship between job satisfaction and job performance
• The effectiveness of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy in treating PTSD
• The correlation between early childhood education and social skills in adolescence
• The effect of parental involvement on academic achievement in the arts
• The impact of trade policies on foreign investment
• The relationship between workplace diversity and decision-making
• The effectiveness of exposure and response prevention therapy in treating OCD
• The correlation between parental involvement and academic success in special education
• The impact of zoning laws on affordable housing
• The relationship between job design and employee motivation
• The effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation therapy in treating traumatic brain injury
• The correlation between early childhood education and social-emotional learning
• The effect of parental involvement on academic achievement in foreign language learning
• The impact of trade policies on the environment
• The relationship between workplace diversity and creativity
• The effectiveness of emotion-focused therapy in treating relationship problems
• The correlation between parental involvement and academic success in music education
• The effect of social media on interpersonal communication skills
• The impact of public health campaigns on health behaviors
• The relationship between job resources and job stress
• The effectiveness of equine therapy in treating substance abuse
• The correlation between early childhood education and self-regulation
• The effect of parental involvement on academic achievement in physical education
• The impact of immigration policies on cultural assimilation
• The relationship between workplace diversity and conflict resolution
• The effectiveness of schema therapy in treating personality disorders
• The correlation between parental involvement and academic success in career and technical education
• The effect of social media on trust in government institutions
• The impact of urbanization on public transportation systems
• The relationship between job demands and job stress
• The correlation between early childhood education and executive functioning
• The effect of parental involvement on academic achievement in computer science
• The effectiveness of cognitive processing therapy in treating PTSD
• The correlation between parental involvement and academic success in homeschooling
• The effect of social media on cyberbullying behavior
• The impact of urbanization on air quality
• The effectiveness of dance therapy in treating anxiety disorders
• The correlation between early childhood education and math achievement
• The effect of parental involvement on academic achievement in health education
• The impact of global warming on agriculture
• The effectiveness of narrative therapy in treating depression
• The correlation between parental involvement and academic success in character education
• The effect of social media on political participation
• The impact of technology on job displacement
• The relationship between job resources and job satisfaction
• The effectiveness of art therapy in treating addiction
• The correlation between early childhood education and reading comprehension
• The effect of parental involvement on academic achievement in environmental education
• The impact of income inequality on social mobility
• The relationship between workplace diversity and organizational culture
• The effectiveness of solution-focused brief therapy in treating anxiety disorders
• The correlation between parental involvement and academic success in physical therapy education
• The effect of social media on misinformation
• The impact of green energy policies on economic growth
• The relationship between job demands and employee well-being
• The correlation between early childhood education and science achievement
• The effect of parental involvement on academic achievement in religious education
• The impact of gender diversity on corporate governance
• The relationship between workplace diversity and ethical decision-making
• The correlation between parental involvement and academic success in dental hygiene education
• The effect of social media on self-esteem among adolescents
• The impact of renewable energy policies on energy security
• The effect of parental involvement on academic achievement in social studies
• The impact of trade policies on job growth
• The relationship between workplace diversity and leadership styles
• The correlation between parental involvement and academic success in online vocational training
• The effect of social media on self-esteem among men
• The impact of urbanization on air pollution levels
• The effectiveness of music therapy in treating depression
• The correlation between early childhood education and math skills
• The effect of parental involvement on academic achievement in language arts
• The impact of immigration policies on labor market outcomes
• The effectiveness of hypnotherapy in treating phobias
• The effect of social media on political engagement among young adults
• The impact of urbanization on access to green spaces
• The relationship between job crafting and job satisfaction
• The effectiveness of exposure therapy in treating specific phobias
• The correlation between early childhood education and spatial reasoning
• The effect of parental involvement on academic achievement in business education
• The impact of trade policies on economic inequality
• The effectiveness of narrative therapy in treating PTSD
• The correlation between parental involvement and academic success in nursing education
• The effect of social media on sleep quality among adolescents
• The impact of urbanization on crime rates
• The relationship between job insecurity and turnover intentions
• The effectiveness of pet therapy in treating anxiety disorders
• The correlation between early childhood education and STEM skills
• The effect of parental involvement on academic achievement in culinary education
• The impact of immigration policies on housing affordability
• The relationship between workplace diversity and employee satisfaction
• The effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction in treating chronic pain
• The correlation between parental involvement and academic success in art education
• The effect of social media on academic procrastination among college students
• The impact of urbanization on public safety services.

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Online, direct selling (ODS) has become the leading way that people acquire goods, with Amazon (Seattle, WA) being the largest online vendor in the United States. This study sought to determine if horticultural businesses were engaging in ODS with Amazon, ebay, and other websites. Researchers examined the ODS activity of 498 businesses using quantitative content analysis methods, and found that 93 horticultural industry businesses were conducting some form of ODS through their websites, but only four offered products on Amazon. Results indicate that ODS remains an untapped marketplace for the horticultural industry, particularly for small, rural businesses.

The U.S. horticultural industry, grossing $13.8 billion in 2014 [U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), 2015], faces numerous challenges to maintaining successful, independently owned retail businesses ( Hodges et al., 2011 ). Palma et al. (2012) reported that horticultural businesses are facing heightened competition and may be using relatively inefficient marketing channels (e.g., one-way communication through printed material such as phone books, catalogs, newspaper, or mail) to reach today’s online consumers, who increasingly use smartphones as portable search tools to gather information before making purchase decisions related to gardening products ( Behe et al., 2013 ). High-quality online presence is essential for the viability of horticultural businesses; lack of modernization, however, coupled with often limited resources for developing online content, have resulted in slow adoption of new sales technology in small to medium enterprises, such as garden centers, nurseries and other horticultural businesses ( Dahnil et al., 2014 ).

One way that smaller, independently owned horticultural businesses can potentially succeed is by expanding their customer base through ODS, or e-commerce. Rural businesses, in particular, could benefit from adoption of ODS to increase the viability and sustainability of their business across a broader marketplace than what is afforded with a brick-and-mortar store only. In this paper, we categorize ODS as online-shopping websites for retail sales directly to consumers or selling through online marketplaces [such as Amazon and eBay (San Jose, CA)]. In ODS, no transactions are conducted face-to-face. This is a virtual exchange of information where the customer inputs their contact and payment information in exchange for shipping and delivery of a product. Amazon is the largest ODS provider in the United States and accounted for 60% of online sales growth in 2015, a growth of $23 billion ( Garcia, 2016 ). Historically, evidence indicates very few horticultural businesses participate in ODS ( Avent, 2003 ; Stanley, 2002 ); however, more empirical evidence of horticultural businesses’ ODS sales volumes are needed.

Research investigating the adoption of ODS in other industries ( Li and Xie, 2012 ; Li et al., 2011 ; Ng, 2013 ), indicates that ODS adoption is complicated. Many researchers have explored factors important to adoption of ODS from a business perspective ( Table 1 ). Businesses struggle to understand the required technology for ODS adoption, and the relative advantage over previous technologies is confusing to many entrepreneurs. In a case study of ODS in Australian agribusiness, both internal and external factors were identified as equally influencing the adoption of ODS ( Ng, 2013 ). Internal factors identified were resources available, target market segment and market scope, nature of products and services, technological infrastructure and knowledge, types of business strategy, organizational structure and culture, understanding of sales models, online and offline marketing strategies and objectives, and market positioning. External factors were strategic partners, competitors, type of industry, consultants, buyers and suppliers, government agencies, market trends, and environmental factors. In a separate study looking at small and medium-sized businesses’ adoption of ODS ( Li et al., 2011 ), results indicated that many aspects of ODS are not clear to businesses until they make the decision to adopt, rendering the perception of “ease of use” complicated. Innovation or willingness and propensity for risk were significant factors in whether a business chose to adopt ODS. Researchers recommended making the benefits of ODS clear to small- and medium-sized businesses to encourage ODS adoption ( Li et al., 2011 ).

Online direct selling attributes of interest from retailer’s perspective when considering adoption of a new technology such as online plant sales. Previous work by authors listed below describes factors important for successful implementation of ODS in any industry.

Another study looked at commonalities across research on the diffusion of ODS, which included work in multiple countries with multiple sizes and scopes of businesses ( Li and Xie, 2012 ). Common factors among studied businesses were institutional environment, economic environment, sociocultural environment, firm size and structure, corporate strategy, globalization, managerial attitudes, external pressure, macro technology environment, and firms’ ability to navigate the technology landscape. Researchers grouped these factors into three categories: environment perspective, firm perspective, and technology perspective. After further analysis, researchers recommended businesses evaluate internal resources and consider whether the internal environment is friendly to ODS before beginning it. Additionally, businesses considering ODS should determine if the external environment is appropriate for ODS, including determining if delivery systems are in place for products, whether customers are ready to purchase online, and if the ODS system is reliable ( Li and Xie, 2012 ).

From a consumer perspective, multiple factors influence the decision to purchase a product online. Researchers have explored these factors in other industries ( Table 2 ), and results indicate that return policy, product quality, price strategy ( Li et al., 2013 ), on-time delivery, terms of sale, pictures, shipping charges, and selection of product options ( Dholakia and Zhao, 2010 ) are important factors for customers when choosing to purchase online. No previous studies have looked at how these characteristics translate to horticultural businesses.

Online direct selling attributes of interest from a consumer perspective when considering purchasing a product online. Previous work by authors listed below describes factors important to consumers of non-horticultural products in order for them to complete and be satisfied with online product purchases.

Selling plants on Amazon can be a challenging venture. While listing items for sale on Amazon is relatively straightforward, having a brand presence is considerably more difficult. Amazon does not allow website copy to direct or link to a seller’s own e-commerce site, nor does it allow advertising materials referring to another e-commerce website in packaging materials. In addition, seller requirements are strict, particularly when participating in the Amazon Prime 2-d shipping service, which can be difficult when shipping live plants. Amazon’s “Selling on Amazon” website indicated their pricing model for professionals included both a monthly fee ($39.99) as well as a per-item fee which varied by category. Additional fees applied when selling through “Fulfillment by Amazon,” a service which picks, packs, ships, and provides customer service for third-party sellers ( Amazon Services LLC, 2018 ).

In recent years, Amazon’s presence in the live plant marketplace has increased at a rapid pace. A 2015 Business Insider article “Now Amazon will let you rent goats” ( Ryssdal, 2015 ) noted Amazon’s entrance into the residential marketplace with their “Home Services” offerings. Few offerings were available outside of major metropolitan areas; offerings traditionally considered horticulture-industry services, however, were listed on the website: Examples included landscape maintenance, lawn mowing, aeration, over-seeding, snow removal, pruning, fertilization, plant health evaluation, planting, and mulch delivery. Essentially, this part of Amazon’s website helped connect consumers with local providers and took a percentage of the price as commission.

In 2016, the first industry e-newsletter article citing Amazon’s interest in the horticulture industry was published in GrowerTalks Magazine . The author suggested that Amazon could potentially do very well in the horticulture marketplace ( Beytes, 2016 ). At the time, products available were primarily seeds, with increasing sales in the “Fresh Flowers & Live Indoor Plants” category. Perennials, herbs and a few 1-gal woody crops were also available. In 2017, Greenhouse Grower Magazine noted Amazon’s entrance into plant retail and suggested strategies growers should consider to navigate the coming marketplace changes ( Miller, 2017 ). Shortly after that article was published, Greenhouse Grower Magazine profiled Costa Farms’ (Miami, FL) expanded customer footprint in the e-commerce market through its purchase of Delray Plants (Delray Beach, FL), an established ODS business ( Drotleff, 2017 ).

In Oct. 2017, Amazon received approval for a patent (no. US 9779442) related to computer-assisted ability to “provide a recommendation for garden items” ( White, 2017 ). As noted in GrowerTalks’ Acres Online e-newsletter ( Beytes, 2017a ), the online retailer has quickly moved into the live plant marketplace, opening the “Amazon Plants Store” ( Beytes, 2017b ), which features the Proven Winners brand of plants. The presence of this new online plant store has been rapidly picked up by the popular press in the United States ( Price, 2018 ).

While Amazon provides an established infrastructure for ODS, selling via an independent e-commerce website allows greater flexibility, the opportunity for cohesive branding, and better opportunities for managing customer expectations and relationships. However, the burden of website platform development and product delivery rest solely on the business. Many factors must be considered when choosing whether to enter the ODS marketplace and it is not appropriate for every horticultural business. Education and resources for businesses considering entering the ODS market will help them be more successful.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether horticultural businesses were directly selling live plant products online, either on Amazon or from their’ own websites, as a way to benchmark the growth of ODS in the horticulture industry. The study also sought to describe sales characteristics of products available through Amazon from horticultural companies. The following research objectives guided this study: 1) determine if and how ODS is used by horticultural businesses on Amazon; and 2) determine if and how ODS is being used by horticultural businesses through businesses’ own websites.

A quantitative content analysis was used to determine how horticultural businesses were using ODS to sell live plants to customers. This research method allows for objective and systematic quantitative description of content ( Berelson, 1952 ; Krippendorff, 2013 ) often in an online environment ( Ary et al., 2010 ).

The census sample selected for this study consisted of 498 businesses with current membership in a national association for the horticulture industry, including breeders, greenhouse and nursery growers, retailers, distributors, interior and exterior landscapers, florists, students, educators, researchers, and manufacturers ( AmericanHort, 2016 ). The mission of AmericanHort (Columbus, OH) is to “unite, promote and advance our industry through advocacy, collaboration, connectivity, education, market development, and research” ( AmericanHort, 2014 ). This list was selected because of the association’s focus on leadership, advocacy, and growth of the entire horticultural industry in the United States. It is common in quantitative content analyses to begin with a predetermined list ( Edgar et al., 2017 ), particularly in an area where previous work has not been conducted or a specific industry or organization is of interest ( Abrams and Meyers, 2012 ; Baker and King, 2016 ). This allows for an initial description of the population.

A codebook is the major tool used in a quantitative content analysis and consists of variables and measurement for variables within the study ( Krippendorff, 2013 ; Riffe et al., 2005 ). The codebook for this study was developed by studying published research papers that examine ODS in other industries ( Dholakia and Zhao, 2010 ; Li et al., 2011 ; Li et al., 2013 ; Ng, 2013 ) and was based on recommendations by Riffe et al. (2005) and Krippendorff (2013) , which are works that set forth the foundation of quantitative content analysis as a method of data collection. The codebook comprised 15 variables including 1) presence on Amazon. If a business was on Amazon, researchers coded for the next variables of 2) number of products available, and details about the first available product including 3) photo quality (categorized on a two-point scale of either good or bad); 4) shipping costs; 5) shipping method; 6) approximate shipping time; 7) richness of product description (measured by the number of sentences in the description); 8) average consumer review; 9) total number of reviews; 10) presence or absence of warranty information; 11) presence of company website; 12) presence or absence of sale/discount/loyalty or reward program; 13) presence or absence of return policy; and 14) presence or absence of suggested care instructions. The final variable was 15) selling on businesses’ own website. This variable included options for selling with a fully functional shopping cart, selling with a downloadable order form emailed to the business or otherwise received electronically, and not selling online directly to the consumer. Researchers did not count selling books, carts, or other hard-good supplies. The only products counted were live plants and cut flowers. After the study was conducted, researchers created a 16th variable of USDA Rural Classifications. Zipcodes of the businesses were used to create the 16th variable using the publicly available index provided on the USDA Economic Research Service (USDA, 2013).

The codebook was reviewed by a panel of experts [authors L.M. Baker (agricultural communications specialist), C.R. Boyer (horticulture specialist), and H.H. Peterson (agricultural economics specialist)] for face content and validity ( Krippendorff, 2013 ) before moving forward with establishing interrater reliability. Three coders (undergraduate research students at Kansas State University) were trained to use the codebook. After the training, coders used 20% of the sample to establish interrater reliability using Cohen’s kappa ( Krippendorff, 2013 ; Riffe et al., 2005 ). Interrater reliability is the standard measure of reliability for a quantitative content analysis ( Riffe et al., 2005 ). Data were collected within 24 h of one another in Spring 2016 to reduce the chance of changes to products or price. Interrater reliability was achieved on each of the 15 variables with a Cohen's kappa of 0.70 or higher as recommended by Riffe et al. (2005) and Krippendorff (2013) . After interrater reliability was achieved on the first 20% (100) businesses in the study population, the three researchers divided the remaining 398 businesses and coded independently. This is the highest standard of reliability as recommended by Riffe et al. (2005) and Krippendorff (2013) . Data were analyzed for descriptive statistics using IBM SPSS Statistics 20 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY).

This exploratory study includes limitations similar to all research in a new area. When establishing the codebook, there was no previous work with this specific population on which to base the variables. Researchers used variables from previous studies on diffusion and online selling of other products as a guide. However, some variables that would have been valuable to measure with this specific industry were not included in the scope of this research. For example, not included was whether the business was retail, wholesale, or a combination. Additionally, time was a factor, so some variables that would have been interesting to explore were outside the scope of this initial benchmarking study. This research describes this specific population at the time the data were collected.

Objective 1: Determine if and how ODS is used by horticultural businesses on Amazon.Of the 498 horticulture businesses, only four businesses (0.8%) were selling live plants or flowers on Amazon. Of the four businesses selling plants through Amazon, the number of products ranged from 2 to 24 with 1 to 2 photos of each product ( Table 3 ). Shipping time ranged from 4 to 22 d with shipping costs ranging from $4.89 to $40.00. Two of the businesses selling on Amazon did not have any customer reviews, one had a 1-star review, and one had a 5-star review. None of the products were available with Prime shipping, which is Amazon’s free, guaranteed 2-d shipping method. Two businesses provided warranty information and two did not. None of these businesses had loyalty programs, sales, or discounts. Two businesses offered suggested care instructions for products, and two did not. None of the businesses mentioned a return policy.

Few horticultural businesses ( n = 4) in the sample population [Spring 2016 membership list of a national horticulture industry association ( n = 498)] were selling live plants on Amazon (Seattle, WA) at the time of data collection. Characteristics listed below describe the nature and quality of live-plant products listed for sale by association member businesses selling on Amazon. Online direct sales characteristics important to consumers are compared.

Objective 2: Determine if and how ODS is being used by horticultural businesses through businesses’ own websites. A total of 44 (8.8%) were selling on a business website through a fully functional shopping cart system, and 48 (9.6%) had an online order form that could be downloaded and emailed or submitted online in some other way ( Table 4 ). The remaining 406 (81.5%) businesses were not selling live plants through the businesses’ website in any form.

Comparison of the quantity and type of online selling exhibited by horticultural businesses in the sample population [Spring 2016 membership list of a national horticulture industry association ( n = 498)].

The USDA rural-urban commuting area (RUCA) system was applied to the business zip codes, which revealed 435 (87.3%) of the businesses were located in metropolitan areas, 47 (9.4%) were in micropolitan areas, 14 (2.8%) were in small towns, one (0.2%) was in a rural area, and one business was in Puerto Rico where the USDA RUCA system did not apply ( Table 5 ). The one rural business in the current sample was not selling online; and of the 14 businesses in small towns, only one was selling online with a fully functioning shopping cart ( Table 6 ). Two of the 14 businesses in small towns were selling online with an online order form, and 11 were not selling plants online.

Location of horticultural businesses in sample [Spring 2016 membership list of a national horticulture industry association ( n = 498)] indicating population demographics using the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) rural-urban continuum codes (RUCA) system based on zip codes (USDA, 2013). The RUCA system forms a classification scheme that distinguishes metropolitan counties by the population size of their metro area, and nonmetropolitan counties by degree of urbanization and adjacency to a metro area.

Comparison of the quantity and type of online selling exhibited by horticultural businesses in the sample population [Spring 2016 membership list of a national horticulture industry association ( n = 498)] located in small towns ( n = 14).

It is clear that a majority of horticultural businesses have not adopted ODS and that the industry is in the early stages of using this technology. While the sample of businesses selling on Amazon was too low to draw many useful conclusions, it appears that horticultural businesses are struggling to meet the current expectations of online customers. As online shopping becomes more ubiquitous, customers have high expectations when engaging in ODS, regardless of the type of product purchased.

Within the sample, many websites were not user-friendly and lacked cohesive branding and marketing strategy. The 48 businesses selling online with an order form (9.6%) made it difficult for consumers to purchase products online. Some order forms contained language such as “after submitting the form if someone has not contacted you within seven days, please contact us again,” or had to be downloaded, printed, completed, and scanned to e-mail back to the business. Moreover, some businesses required consumers to contact the company to obtain a password before viewing available plants or before making pricing available. In a world where consumers expect free 2-d shipping of products and immediate responses, this type of language can turn consumers away from purchasing products from these businesses.

As previously mentioned, businesses in this sample were all members of a prominent horticulture industry association, which presumably indicates that the owners have an interest in marketing and potentially the funds to invest in marketing of products, as association dues are not inexpensive… and yet, these businesses were not well represented on Amazon or in ODS through the businesses’ websites at the time of the study. If the large businesses with resources for marketing, like the vast majority of the businesses in this study, are struggling to sell online, it stands to reason that small, rural businesses are at a bigger disadvantage for entering the ODS market.

There are many likely reasons why horticultural businesses have not entered into the ODS market. Chief among them is a lack of knowledge and skills in online sales infrastructure, coupled with the challenge of educating consumers and keeping plants alive and in good condition upon delivery to the consumer. Shipping a plant is significantly more complex than an inorganic good such as a book. Standard packaging must fit a variety of plant sizes (or the business can specialize in a few sizes) and must be designed to prevent damage regardless of how the box is handled by the shipping carrier. Additionally, phytosanitary regulations and plant quarantines [such as for invasive fire ants ( Solenopsis richteri and S. invicta )] apply to individual shipments of plants just as they do to truckloads of nursery stock across interstate shipping lanes. This may require more processing time to appropriately prepare plants for shipping and delivery across state boundaries. Anecdotal evidence suggests that consumers want instant gratification with minimal mess; they desire to go straight from the box into the garden with minimal handling. Customers likely expect a warranty and care instructions, and in this study no warranties were available for the businesses’ products and only half offered care instructions.

“This is our second year on Amazon, and although sales are strong, the customer base is very disappointing. Most think free shipping is free and doesn’t cost me or them a dime; or living plants are as easy to ship as a book and shouldn’t have a single broken leaf.

“We’ve been shipping mail order since ‘98 and normally have less than 0.5% damaged shipments. Amazon alone this year has reached 10% damage, with only 0.4% (of customers) having actually sent proof of damage. But I’m required by Amazon to refund/replace anyone who says their plants were damaged–with or without proof. eBay and our own website are at less than 0.2% damaged shipments.”

Managing these expectations has become an important role of the seller. Explaining to customers that plants appear differently when they are shipped in dormant form or are not available to ship yet because of growth, weather, or geographic location can be difficult when customers likely do not have a basic understanding of plant physiology. It can be challenging to recommend plants specific to the consumer’s USDA plant hardiness zone. E-commerce websites may require an algorithm to identify consumers’ location, or to add or remove plants as they become available for shipping. Phytosanitary restrictions and pest issues may also complicate ODS. Any one of these concerns could lead to “poor customer service” in a world where consumers expect free shipping with free returns.

It should be noted that since the data in this study were collected, a large national retailer, Spring Meadow Nursery (Sycamore, IL), began selling their Proven Winners plant brand on Amazon through Amazon’s “Add-on Item” program. While this indicates shipping and delivery can be done in a reasonable timeframe, challenges still exist for the majority of the industry, particularly small, rural growers.

Competing with Amazon in the online live plant marketplace requires many tactics currently used by local independent garden centers: knowledgeable customer service, activities, engagement, and a sense of community. Horticulture industry journalists argue that these tactics outweigh the many features of online shopping ( Wells, 2018 ) and recommend strategies for addressing online plant sales ( Sparks, 2018a , 2018b ). A Fast Company article “The Future of Retail in the Age of Amazon” highlighted the challenges of both brick-and-mortar and online sales ( Carr, 2017 ). The author made the case that as the size and presence of Amazon increases online, the demand for “warm and individualized service” will increase and customers will “crave the insight and personal connection of fellow humans.” Carr (2017) suggests that retailers “figure out what makes them special and use those weapons to compete.” He further argues that successful retailers in the future will deliver a satisfying in-person experience, will “challenge the fundamental assumptions of commerce,” and “resurrect the art of selling.” In the future, ODS and in-person retail will both be viable business opportunities, though each require different resources.

Learning to navigate the challenges of ODS offers the opportunity to capitalize on new-media marketing tools such as websites, social media, and e-newsletters to lessen the distance that rural businesses and customers must traverse (Barkley et al., 2007; Barnes et al., 2014; Barton and Behe, 2017 ). For many retailers, the risk associated with ODS (perishable goods, investing in new infrastructure, lack of the “experience” of shopping in a brick and mortar store) could be worth the reward as online businesses have the ability to charge premium prices to customers expecting specialized products matching a high-quality photo on the business website ( Dholakia and Zhao, 2010 ; Kim and Kim, 2004 ). Higher profit margins, lower start-up costs, expanded customer reach, few geographical limitations, and the ability to sell 24 h daily, 7 d weekly are opportunities ideal for rural horticultural retailers. Providing a service to consumers who prefer to shop on mobile technology such as tablets and smartphones can move the horticulture industry into the modern era.

Since this study was the first of its kind, it provides a benchmark for horticultural businesses selling online and via Amazon at the time of data collection. There are many future avenues for research in this area that should be considered. Specifically, future research should empirically investigate specific barriers for horticultural businesses to enter the ODS market and identify specific customer needs and expectations related to ODS in the horticultural industry. As a part of a study on barriers, it would be interesting to investigate businesses that started selling on Amazon and switched to another online selling strategy, as well as how businesses are addressing phytosanitary and shipping restrictions in rural areas.

In addition, future research should investigate the requirement by certain businesses in this sample of passwords or logins to view available products. It is unclear why businesses choose to require this; perhaps it is a form of security to prevent competitors from learning details about inventory and pricing. It may also be the difficulty of managing inventory in multiple systems, or perhaps these businesses do not or are not interested in selling retail directly to consumers. Future research should investigate this phenomena and details surrounding it.

In future content analyses in this area, it would be of interest to investigate which types of businesses within horticultural industries are selling online, as this initial work categorized all businesses collectively as horticultural businesses. Moreover, future research should explore what the most common type of product sold online by horticultural businesses is, to provide a better description of current online selling efforts by the industry. Additionally, future research should consider the infrastructure of horticultural businesses for selling online and investigate challenges related to shipping and packaging. Studying ODS practices of businesses currently involved in shipping may also reveal useful information. While using the AmericanHort list for this initial sample provided a benchmark for which businesses were selling online, future research should consider sampling through keyword search terms on Amazon and Google (Mountain View, CA) or other search engines to broaden the scope of this work.

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Contributor Notes

This is contribution no. 17-250-J from the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station.

8 Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] .

The authors are grateful for the contributions of Dandi Thomas, Charlsie Craig, and Samantha Capoun, undergraduate research students (AGCOM 425 course) at Kansas State University, who assisted with data collection. Additional study design and outreach support was provided by The Center for Rural Enterprise Engagement at Kansas State University.

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Benchmarking: An International Journal

ISSN : 1463-5771

Article publication date: 4 February 2021

Issue publication date: 2 August 2021

Recent decade has witnessed exponential growth in e-commerce segment, leading to emergence of various online selling platforms catering to diverse product requirements of customers. Such a development has provided impetus to both existing businesses and newly established ventures to make available their offerings through online selling platforms with a view to improve the reach of their products. This study is an attempt to identify the experience of registered vendors with the online marketplaces. It aims to develop and validate a scale to measure vendor's experience with e-commerce platforms.

Design/methodology/approach

As a part of the scale development process, relevant literature sources were scanned to spot the precise knowledge gap and to put in place a sound theoretical background for the study. Thereafter, a scientific approach was adopted for scale creation. First, the scale items were identified through interviews of vendors registered with major online selling platforms and other academic experts pertaining to the marketing domain. Subsequently, major dimensions of seller experience were identified through exploratory factor analysis (EFA) applied on data collected from active vendors by the means of a structured survey instrument. The final data set was subjected to confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in a bid to validate the scale.

The study’s outcomes reveal that seller experience in an online marketplace can be best captured by a multidimensional scale characterized by six major dimensions. These are “Registration,”; “Product Listing”; “Pricing Autonomy”; “Ease of Pick-up and Delivery”; “Credit of Receivables” and “Vendor Assistance.” A proper emphasis to continually improve upon these dimensions by the e-commerce platforms is expected to enhance the utility and overall experience of vendors from such platforms. Existence of a mutually beneficial relationship between vendors and online marketplaces will help marketplaces to mitigate concerns like nonfulfillment of orders and dispatch of substandard products.

Originality/value

Sustainable long-term relations between vendors and online marketplaces hold the key for such marketplaces to render error-free and delightful service on each individual order received. Seller experience of registering and operating on such e-marketplaces inspite of playing a defining role in vendor–marketplace relations has received scant attention of researchers, both in academia and industry till date. The present research is a seminal attempt to address this gap in marketing literature and offer additional know-how.

• Online marketplace
• Scale development

Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to the registered vendors of Amazon (India) and Flipkart for sharing their direct experiences with these online marketplaces which formed the foundation of this research. The authors express their gratitude to Editor-in-Chief ( BIJ ), Associate Editor ( BIJ ) and the anonymous Reviewers whose constructive and insightful comments went a long way toward improving the quality of this research paper.

Kumar, A. , Sikdar, P. and Saha, R. (2021), "Seller experience assessment in online marketplace: a scale development study", Benchmarking: An International Journal , Vol. 28 No. 7, pp. 2315-2342. https://doi.org/10.1108/BIJ-06-2020-0305

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100+ Quantitative Research Topics For Students

Quantitative research is a research strategy focusing on quantified data collection and analysis processes. This research strategy emphasizes testing theories on various subjects. It also includes collecting and analyzing non-numerical data.

Quantitative research is a common approach in the natural and social sciences , like marketing, business, sociology, chemistry, biology, economics, and psychology. So, if you are fond of statistics and figures, a quantitative research title would be an excellent option for your research proposal or project.

How to Get a Title of Quantitative Research

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Finding a great title is the key to writing a great quantitative research proposal or paper. A title for quantitative research prepares you for success, failure, or mediocre grades. This post features examples of quantitative research titles for all students.

Putting together a research title and quantitative research design is not as easy as some students assume. So, an example topic of quantitative research can help you craft your own. However, even with the examples, you may need some guidelines for personalizing your research project or proposal topics.

So, here are some tips for getting a title for quantitative research:

• Consider your area of studies
• Look out for relevant subjects in the area
• Expert advice may come in handy
• Check out some sample quantitative research titles

Making a quantitative research title is easy if you know the qualities of a good title in quantitative research. Reading about how to make a quantitative research title may not help as much as looking at some samples. Looking at a quantitative research example title will give you an idea of where to start.

However, let’s look at some tips for how to make a quantitative research title:

• The title should seem interesting to readers
• Ensure that the title represents the content of the research paper
• Reflect on the tone of the writing in the title
• The title should contain important keywords in your chosen subject to help readers find your paper
• The title should not be too lengthy
• It should be grammatically correct and creative
• It must generate curiosity

An excellent quantitative title should be clear, which implies that it should effectively explain the paper and what readers can expect. A research title for quantitative research is the gateway to your article or proposal. So, it should be well thought out. Additionally, it should give you room for extensive topic research.

A sample of quantitative research titles will give you an idea of what a good title for quantitative research looks like. Here are some examples:

• What is the correlation between inflation rates and unemployment rates?
• Has climate adaptation influenced the mitigation of funds allocation?
• Job satisfaction and employee turnover: What is the link?
• A look at the relationship between poor households and the development of entrepreneurship skills
• Urbanization and economic growth: What is the link between these elements?
• Does education achievement influence people’s economic status?
• What is the impact of solar electricity on the wholesale energy market?
• Debt accumulation and retirement: What is the relationship between these concepts?
• Can people with psychiatric disorders develop independent living skills?
• Children’s nutrition and its impact on cognitive development

Quantitative research applies to various subjects in the natural and social sciences. Therefore, depending on your intended subject, you have numerous options. Below are some good quantitative research topics for students:

• The difference between the colorific intake of men and women in your country
• Top strategies used to measure customer satisfaction and how they work
• Black Friday sales: are they profitable?
• The correlation between estimated target market and practical competitive risk assignment
• Are smartphones making us brighter or dumber?
• Nuclear families Vs. Joint families: Is there a difference?
• What will society look like in the absence of organized religion?
• A comparison between carbohydrate weight loss benefits and high carbohydrate diets?
• How does emotional stability influence your overall well-being?
• The extent of the impact of technology in the communications sector

Creativity is the key to creating a good research topic in quantitative research. Find a good quantitative research topic below:

• How much exercise is good for lasting physical well-being?
• A comparison of the nutritional therapy uses and contemporary medical approaches
• Does sugar intake have a direct impact on diabetes diagnosis?
• Education attainment: Does it influence crime rates in society?
• Is there an actual link between obesity and cancer rates?
• Do kids with siblings have better social skills than those without?
• Computer games and their impact on the young generation
• Has social media marketing taken over conventional marketing strategies?
• The impact of technology development on human relationships and communication
• What is the link between drug addiction and age?

Need more quantitative research title examples to inspire you? Here are some quantitative research title examples to look at:

• Habitation fragmentation and biodiversity loss: What is the link?
• Radiation has affected biodiversity: Assessing its effects
• An assessment of the impact of the CORONA virus on global population growth
• Is the pandemic truly over, or have human bodies built resistance against the virus?
• The ozone hole and its impact on the environment
• The greenhouse gas effect: What is it and how has it impacted the atmosphere
• GMO crops: are they good or bad for your health?
• Is there a direct link between education quality and job attainment?
• How have education systems changed from traditional to modern times?
• The good and bad impacts of technology on education qualities

Your examiner will give you excellent grades if you come up with a unique title and outstanding content. Here are some quantitative research examples titles.

• Online classes: are they helpful or not?
• What changes has the global CORONA pandemic had on the population growth curve?
• Daily habits influenced by the global pandemic
• An analysis of the impact of culture on people’s personalities
• How has feminism influenced the education system’s approach to the girl child’s education?
• Academic competition: what are its benefits and downsides for students?
• Is there a link between education and student integrity?
• An analysis of how the education sector can influence a country’s economy
• An overview of the link between crime rates and concern for crime
• Is there a link between education and obesity?

Research title example quantitative topics when well-thought guarantees a paper that is a good read. Look at the examples below to get started.

• What are the impacts of online games on students?
• Sex education in schools: how important is it?
• Should schools be teaching about safe sex in their sex education classes?
• The correlation between extreme parent interference on student academic performance
• Is there a real link between academic marks and intelligence?
• Teacher feedback: How necessary is it, and how does it help students?
• An analysis of modern education systems and their impact on student performance
• An overview of the link between academic performance/marks and intelligence
• Are grading systems helpful or harmful to students?
• What was the impact of the pandemic on students?

Irrespective of the course you take, here are some titles that can fit diverse subjects pretty well. Here are some creative quantitative research title ideas:

• A look at the pre-corona and post-corona economy
• How are conventional retail businesses fairing against eCommerce sites like Amazon and Shopify?
• An evaluation of mortality rates of heart attacks
• Effective treatments for cardiovascular issues and their prevention
• A comparison of the effectiveness of home care and nursing home care
• Strategies for managing effective dissemination of information to modern students
• How does educational discrimination influence students’ futures?
• The impacts of unfavorable classroom environment and bullying on students and teachers
• An overview of the implementation of STEM education to K-12 students
• How effective is digital learning?

If your paper addresses a problem, you must present facts that solve the question or tell more about the question. Here are examples of quantitative research titles that will inspire you.

• An elaborate study of the influence of telemedicine in healthcare practices
• How has scientific innovation influenced the defense or military system?
• The link between technology and people’s mental health
• Has social media helped create awareness or worsened people’s mental health?
• How do engineers promote green technology?
• How can engineers raise sustainability in building and structural infrastructures?
• An analysis of how decision-making is dependent on someone’s sub-conscious
• A comprehensive study of ADHD and its impact on students’ capabilities
• The impact of racism on people’s mental health and overall wellbeing
• How has the current surge in social activism helped shape people’s relationships?

Are you looking for an example of a quantitative research title? These ten examples below will get you started.

• The prevalence of nonverbal communication in social control and people’s interactions
• The impacts of stress on people’s behavior in society
• A study of the connection between capital structures and corporate strategies
• How do changes in credit ratings impact equality returns?
• A quantitative analysis of the effect of bond rating changes on stock prices
• The impact of semantics on web technology
• An analysis of persuasion, propaganda, and marketing impact on individuals
• The dominant-firm model: what is it, and how does it apply to your country’s retail sector?
• The role of income inequality in economy growth
• An examination of juvenile delinquents’ treatment in your country

Excellent Topics For Quantitative Research

Here are some titles for quantitative research you should consider:

• Does studying mathematics help implement data safety for businesses
• How are art-related subjects interdependent with mathematics?
• How do eco-friendly practices in the hospitality industry influence tourism rates?
• A deep insight into how people view eco-tourisms
• Religion vs. hospitality: Details on their correlation
• Has your country’s tourist sector revived after the pandemic?
• How effective is non-verbal communication in conveying emotions?
• Are there similarities between the English and French vocabulary?
• How do politicians use persuasive language in political speeches?
• The correlation between popular culture and translation

Here are some quantitative research titles examples for your consideration:

• How do world leaders use language to change the emotional climate in their nations?
• Extensive research on how linguistics cultivate political buzzwords
• The impact of globalization on the global tourism sector
• An analysis of the effects of the pandemic on the worldwide hospitality sector
• The influence of social media platforms on people’s choice of tourism destinations
• Educational tourism: What is it and what you should know about it
• Why do college students experience math anxiety?
• Is math anxiety a phenomenon?
• A guide on effective ways to fight cultural bias in modern society
• Creative ways to solve the overpopulation issue

An example of quantitative research topics for 12 th -grade students will come in handy if you want to score a good grade. Here are some of the best ones:

• The link between global warming and climate change
• What is the greenhouse gas impact on biodiversity and the atmosphere
• Has the internet successfully influenced literacy rates in society
• The value and downsides of competition for students
• A comparison of the education system in first-world and third-world countries
• The impact of alcohol addiction on the younger generation
• How has social media influenced human relationships?
• Has education helped boost feminism among men and women?
• Are computers in classrooms beneficial or detrimental to students?
• How has social media improved bullying rates among teenagers?

High school students can apply research titles on social issues  or other elements, depending on the subject. Let’s look at some quantitative topics for students:

• What is the right age to introduce sex education for students
• Can extreme punishment help reduce alcohol consumption among teenagers?
• Should the government increase the age of sexual consent?
• The link between globalization and the local economy collapses
• How are global companies influencing local economies?

There are numerous possible quantitative research topics you can write about. Here are some great quantitative research topics examples:

• The correlation between video games and crime rates
• Do college studies impact future job satisfaction?
• What can the education sector do to encourage more college enrollment?
• The impact of education on self-esteem
• The relationship between income and occupation

You can find inspiration for your research topic from trending affairs on social media or in the news. Such topics will make your research enticing. Find a trending topic for quantitative research example from the list below:

• How the country’s economy is fairing after the pandemic
• An analysis of the riots by women in Iran and what the women gain to achieve
• Is the current US government living up to the voter’s expectations?
• How is the war in Ukraine affecting the global economy?
• Can social media riots affect political decisions?

A proposal is a paper you write proposing the subject you would like to cover for your research and the research techniques you will apply. If the proposal is approved, it turns to your research topic. Here are some quantitative titles you should consider for your research proposal:

• Military support and economic development: What is the impact in developing nations?
• How does gun ownership influence crime rates in developed countries?
• How can the US government reduce gun violence without influencing people’s rights?
• What is the link between school prestige and academic standards?
• Is there a scientific link between abortion and the definition of viability?

You can never have too many sample titles. The samples allow you to find a unique title you’re your research or proposal. Find a sample quantitative research title here:

• Does weight loss indicate good or poor health?
• Should schools do away with grading systems?
• The impact of culture on student interactions and personalities
• How can parents successfully protect their kids from the dangers of the internet?
• Is the US education system better or worse than Europe’s?

If you’re a business major, then you must choose a research title quantitative about business. Let’s look at some research title examples quantitative in business:

• Creating shareholder value in business: How important is it?
• The changes in credit ratings and their impact on equity returns
• The importance of data privacy laws in business operations
• How do businesses benefit from e-waste and carbon footprint reduction?
• Organizational culture in business: what is its importance?

We Are A Call Away

Interesting, creative, unique, and easy quantitative research topics allow you to explain your paper and make research easy. Therefore, you should not take choosing a research paper or proposal topic lightly. With your topic ready, reach out to us today for excellent research paper writing services .

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FINAL REPORT QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH REPORT: ‘Attitudes towards online shopping and knowledge about shopping online securely’ PREPARED FOR: NSW Fair Trading

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Best Research About Online Selling in The Philippines

Research about online selling in the Philippines shows that there is a consumer-driven economy, that’s the reason the use of eCommerce platforms has been increasing. According to research about online shopping, Filipinos will spend almost $12 billion on eCommerce platforms by 2025. So, the rapid growth of online shopping indicates tremendous opportunities for eCommerce players.

However, the continued rise in eCommerce platforms means you need to understand the intensified competition to make a better position in the competitive market. To stand in the highly competitive market, you need to sell the right products and understand the marketing strategies timely. 

In the Philippines during pandemic, e-commerce giants such as Lazada and Shopee are becoming more prominent in the market at a gradual pace. Despite the more relaxed situation then, many Filipinos remain alienated from online shopping. 

It wasn’t until a few months ago during the lockdown that online shopping has been amplified further and integrated further into the lives of Filipinos. In fact, a report published by Facebook has found that the e-commerce industry has been propelled further by the pandemic.

Related: What is SWOT Analysis in Online Business?

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What is The Best Online Selling in The Philippines?

From the looks of how things are going, it seems like online shopping is here to stay, and it will grow even bigger moving forward. Here are 6 best online selling in the Philippines.

This is a leading platform that has listed all the products under an umbrella. Founded in 2011 by Rocket Internet and is open in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

A few years ago, the Chinese eCommerce giant Ali Baba acquired a great share and controlled Lazada and its operations in Southeast Asia.

Lazada has more than 3000 brands, which marks its huge spread of products available with them.

There is a wide variety of products offered ranging from clothing, electronics, pet foods, and other daily essentials.

This website provides a unique web experience and is present in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Taiwan.

Shopee was launched in the year 2015, in less than 2 years it had more than 11,000 sellers on the platform. It’s one of the largest platforms in Southeast Asia.

This website caters to the needs of Filipinos across the nation. It is amongst the top 10 based on the users and the traffic generated by the visitors.

The idea behind the Carousell was a mobile platform. The users were allowed to sell the products by selling any of their products.

Carousell is widespread across Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Taiwan, Australia, and Hong Kong. Carousell was earlier known as OLX.

The company arranged for selling car accessories, tools, and appliances and extending to clothing, shoes, books, and craft supplies.

Presently they have jobs and services listed which can be availed by the users as a service for their business or home.

The eCommerce website is structured to provide all general product categories as it expanded to business-to-sales.

Initially, eBay is one of the leaders of US eCommerce websites that was locally available to Filipinos as eBay Philippines.

Consumers can find a host of products and can buy on a bidding basis or instantly can select the products.

There are chances of sellers choosing to sell the items they do not need. There is a security system, a buyer protection program, and also a feedback system in place.

Globe Online Shop

Globe online shop is an online store of Globe corporation which is one of the largest corporations in the Philippines.

Globe online shop is an online platform that offers products ranging from gadgets, mobile devices, apparel, and many offers.

They also offer products from the world-leading brands for their customers, thus increasing their base.

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Why is Online Selling Trend Nowadays?

Selling directly online increases your reach. With an online store, your profits are no longer limited by the number of customers that can physically visit your brick and mortar location. You can sell across towns, states, and even across borders, removing all geographical limitations.

Your online store also allows you to cater to shoppers who find it more convenient to browse and buy at times when retail locations are not traditionally open. 

From the local studies research, online shopping can save time for both the buyer and retailer, reducing phone calls about availability, specifications, hours of operation or other information easily found on company and product pages.

An ecommerce system provides real time data and analytics about your products and your customers. You can see how people interact with the site, what products interest them, what they left in their cart and how much the average purchase was. 

Valuable metrics that allow you to make adjustments to meet your customer’s needs. Even if your product(s) don’t appear ideal for online sales, an ecommerce presence will help buyers discover your business.

See also: What is the Business Model Canvas?

How Popular is Online Selling in The Philippines?

Online shopping has been a growing craze in the Philippines in the past few years. A study conducted as early as 2015 found that 9 out of 10 Filipinos customer satisfaction towards online shopping.

The same study found that convenience, cheaper prices and special deals were the leading reasons for the respondents’ preference for online shopping.

The market has rapidly grown since then. According to Eshopworld.com, the quantitative research about online shopping in the Philippines shows that there are at least 37.7 million e-commerce users in the country in 2018 from the 30.2 million estimated in 2016. The number is expected to rise to 53.8 million by 2022.

Statista’s e-commerce outlook henceforth estimates that there are currently at least 47.3 million e-commerce users in November 2018, yielding a revenue of $840 million.

The news about online selling in the philippines report published in May 2018 found that despite its growing popularity, the Philippines lags in terms of growth of e-commerce sales in the Southeast Asian region.

Related: Why is Online Business Good in the Pandemic?

Online shopping has many sites here in the Philippines. You can choose and find all you need without wasting your time traveling to the store or going to the mall to find the item or product you want. You only sit and have your computer with the internet and that’s it you can choose whatever website you want and see their sale item and discount product. 

Online selling in the Philippines during pandemic nowadays is very useful and helpful to those Filipinos who have no time to go out and shop. It is very convenient and sometimes it is cheaper compared to the mall price.

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