Examining Salient Dimensions of Online Shopping and the Moderating Influence of Gender: The Case of Students at a South African University

Abstract

Online shopping is still in its infancy in South Africa. This is despite the fact that Internet penetration has increased tremendously in the country owing to increased Broadband access combined with the speed of wireless connectivity. Online shopping sales in South Africa are estimated at over R2bn. However, since students are more active on the Internet, they are considered the potential dominant users of online shopping. Thus, it is important for marketers to understand the dimensions that influence students’ online shopping behaviour. In addition, the moderating influence of gender is an important biographical consideration in technology adoption research. A survey was conducted among university students with a view to determine the dimensions that influence the uptake of online shopping. An adapted questionnaire was designed to cover a plethora of online shopping dimensions. The majority of students in the sample were undergraduate females. The findings of the study revealed that students value the convenience of the online shopping experience. Security was also a major consideration for female rather than male consumers, when opting to conduct shopping activities online. Albeit, the results of the independent t-tests revealed significant differences along the security dimension only (p< 0.05). However, significant differences could not be established along other dimensions that were identified in the study such as convenience, ease of use and perceived benefits. Notwithstanding this fact, this study provides a bedrock for cumulative research on the salience of online shopping within a student community. In addition, a clear understanding of the shopping behaviour of tertiary students can provide opportunities for designing new capabilities that will support value-based online shopping activities.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n23p1838