A Comparison of Online Shopping Behavior of American and German Consumers

Tesis , 2004 , 89 Páginas , Calificación: 2,7

Economía de las empresas - Marketing en línea y fuera de línea

“A profound shift in the economy is underway - the industrial age economy is rapidly giving way to the Internet age economy.“1

Four years after the New Economy crash the Internet Economy is booming and hopes that mobile offers will further increase the speed.2 With the number of online sales for goods and services increasing every day3, online shopping - with sales growth rates outpacing traditional retailing purchases - has become one of the
fastest growing forms of shopping4. The statement above explains the reason why the term Electronic Commerce has kept both business research and business practice as occupied as barely any other term, in the last years.5 Warren D. Raisch writes about this shift in the economy that “the global development and acceptance of the Internet as the new standard for communication and commerce provides us with a powerful new global Internet-based E-Business network (...).“6
Realizing that we live in a global marketplace with international trade7 additionally pushed by the Internet, companies face a stronger competition and the need to create more value for customers than their competitors. In this context, it is important for companies to realize that, through the Internet, there is a power
shift to the customer. Furthermore, as customers will demand and tolerate only delightening buying experiences, it is a necessity to capture and analyze information about buying behavior in the 21st century business.8
When talking about E-Commerce, which is a part of Electronic Business (E-Business), describing the sale of goods and services via the Internet targeting a mass market9, the following two areas have to be differentiated: Business-to-Cus- tomer (B2C) E-Commerce, meaning the settlement of buying contracts between a
commercial seller and an end-consumer via electronic media, and Business-to-Business (B2B) E-Commerce, describing the same action but between two commercial
business partners. 10 11
In this paper, the focus lies on B2C E-Commerce as this is the most interesting area regarding marketing.12 13 Therefore, to better understand the online purchase behavior of private consumers, in the frame of the following analysis the influencing factors of shopping over the Internet are examined. Since determining the factors influencing online shopping behavior also discovers those factors hindering the usage of the Internet as a shopping platform, suggestions to improve and adjust online offers appropriately can be made.14

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• 1 Introduction
• 1.1 Overview of Online Shopping Trend
• 1.1.1 Online Shopping in Germany
• 1.1.2 Online Shopping in the USA
• 1.1.3 Online Shopping World-Wide
• 1.2 Objectives of the Paper
• 2 Online Buyer Behavior
• 2.1 E-Commerce Barriers
• 2.1.1 Consumer Concerns
• 2.1.2 Delivery Problems
• 2.1.3 Operating with Technology
• 2.2 E-Commerce Advantages
• 2.2.1 Convenience
• 2.2.2 Price Competitiveness
• 2.2.3 Wider Choice Range
• 2.3 Online Buyer Profile
• 3 A Framework for Factors Influencing Online Purchasing Behavior
• 3.1 Personality
• 3.1.1 Internet Usage
• 3.1.2 Attitude towards Online Shopping
• 3.1.3 Perceived Convenience
• 3.1.4 Perceived Risk
• 3.1.5 Perceived Trust
• 3.2 Purchase Situation
• 3.2.1 Online Shopping Experience
• 3.2.2 Shopping Purpose
• 3.2.3 Easiness of Order Procedure
• 3.2.4 Payment Options
• 3.2.5 Web Site Usability
• 3.3 Product Qualities
• 3.3.1 Price Competitiveness
• 3.3.2 Brand Reputation
• 3.3.3 Speed of Delivery
• 3.3.4 Choice Range
• 3.4 Product Categories
• 3.4.1 Books
• 3.4.2 Clothes
• 3.4.3 Flights
• 3.5 Nationality
• 4 Research Methodology and Data Interpretation
• 4.1 Data Collection
• 4.2 Sample
• 4.3 Methodology of Analysis
• 4.4 Research Results for German Consumers
• 4.4.1 Influencing Factors of Online Purchasing Behavior
• 4.4.1.1 Personality
• 4.4.1.2 Purchase Situation
• 4.4.1.3 Product Qualities
• 4.4.2 Comparison of Online and Not-Online Buyers
• 4.4.2.1 Differences
• 4.4.2.2 Similarities
• 4.5 Research Results for American Consumers
• 4.5.1 Influencing Factors of Online Purchasing Behavior
• 4.5.1.1 Personality
• 4.5.1.2 Purchase Situation
• 4.5.1.3 Product Qualities
• 4.5.2 Comparison of Online and Not-Online Buyers
• 4.5.2.1 Differences
• 4.5.2.2 Similarities
• 4.6 Comparison of German and American Consumers
• 5 Implications, Limitations and Outlook
• 5.1 Management Implications
• 5.1.1 Differences between Product Categories
• 5.1.2 Reduction of Uncertainty to improve Online Shopping Acceptance
• 5.1.2.1 Online Payment Security
• 5.1.2.2 Brand Reputation
• 5.1.2.3 Warranty Seals
• 5.2 Limitations
• 5.3 Outlook

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

The main objective of this paper is to analyze the online shopping behavior of American and German consumers, identifying key factors that influence their purchasing decisions. This analysis aims to uncover similarities and differences in consumer behavior between the two nations, providing insights for businesses operating in the international online marketplace.

• E-commerce barriers and advantages for consumers
• The influence of personality, purchase situation, and product qualities on online purchasing behavior
• A comparative analysis of online shopping behavior between German and American consumers
• Management implications for businesses operating in the international online marketplace
• The impact of cultural differences on online consumer behavior

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Chapter 1 provides an introduction to the topic of online shopping, examining global trends and outlining the objectives of the paper. It highlights the growth of online shopping in both Germany and the USA, emphasizing the increasing importance of understanding consumer behavior in this evolving market.
• Chapter 2 delves into the online buyer behavior, exploring the barriers and advantages associated with e-commerce. It examines consumer concerns, delivery problems, and technological challenges, while also highlighting the benefits of convenience, price competitiveness, and wider choice range offered by online shopping.
• Chapter 3 presents a framework for understanding the factors that influence online purchasing behavior. This framework considers individual personality traits, purchase situation, product qualities, and cultural influences. It examines the role of internet usage, attitude towards online shopping, perceived risk and trust, as well as the impact of online shopping experience, shopping purpose, payment options, and product categories.
• Chapter 4 outlines the research methodology and data interpretation used to analyze online shopping behavior. It details the data collection process, the sample used for the study, and the methods of analysis employed. The chapter then presents the findings of the research, highlighting the key influencing factors for both German and American consumers. It compares online and not-online buyers in each country, identifying both differences and similarities in their purchasing behavior.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This paper explores the online shopping behavior of American and German consumers, focusing on the factors that influence their purchasing decisions. Key concepts include e-commerce barriers, online buyer behavior, consumer concerns, delivery problems, convenience, price competitiveness, wider choice range, personality, purchase situation, product qualities, and cultural differences. The study examines the impact of factors like perceived risk, trust, online shopping experience, payment options, and brand reputation on consumer behavior. The research also explores the implications of these findings for businesses operating in the international online marketplace.

• Universidad: University of Duisburg-Essen
• Calificación: 2,7
• Autor: MBA, LL.M, Diplom-Kauffrau Silke Kühn (Autor)
• Año de publicación: 2004
• Páginas: 89
• No. de catálogo: V141245
• ISBN (Ebook): 9783640509119
• ISBN (Libro): 9783640509454
• Idioma: Inglés
• Etiqueta: Comparison, Online, Shopping, Behavior, American, German, Consumers