Student Name: Nasir Farid

Student no.: 16901355

TOPIC: Consumer Behavior in online shopping.

TITLE: A study of consumer behavior on online shopping in Oman.

Introduction

Invention of the internet has changed our way of shopping styles. Now consumers can do
shopping while sitting at home and purchase goods online and avail services without spending
any time. According to Joines, Scherer & Scheufele (2013), many people are using internet and
doing online, internet has become a new medium. Oppenheim & Ward (2011), stated that due to
the growth of broadband technology, changes in consumer behavior has been seen.
The purchase features that the internet is providing to the consumers on a large scale, no other
medium is doing this. According to Joines et al. (2013), comparing the old style method of
shopping with the online purchasing, consumers can be more satisfied because of the certain
features that stated that the previous primary reason for online shopping was that people find it
costly but the current primary reason is changed. Now it becomes convenient for people to do
online shopping.
The online process in must when the consumer is planning to purchase online. Hollensen (2012),
created a latest for it and to buy it online. According to Smith and Rupp (2010), the market
became more competitive when the customers had no access to most of the product or service
ideas or suppliers so the competition over customers became furious. Constantinides (2014),
stated that to hold the customer and having a control on them in a competitive market the first
step that should be taken is to identify the facets that influence consumer by online shopping,
factors like these can be seen.

Rationale
The main purpose of this research is to identify and understand the factors that customer thinks
while purchasing clothes online because on internet clothes are the normally purchased item.
Recognition of new sectors and their building up is necessary according to the customer’s needs,
and also focus on how these segmented factors are to be identified. The outcomes of this
research would be very useful to dealers who are selling clothes online. They can outline the
proposal and upgrade their online selling strategies to get better reviews through customers.

Research Questions

 What are the main factors that affect online consumer when considering and making
online purchase?
 How does these factors impact the customer when doing online purchase of clothes in
Oman?
 What sort of segments can be found from identified customers in Oman when buying the
clothes online?

Research Objectives

1. To study the factors affecting consumers while doing online shopping.

2. To find out the factors influencing consumers while purchasing clothes online in Oman.
3. To understand the level of consumers in Oman when purchasing clothes online.

Literature Review

 Definition & concept:

Stallworth (2008) define consumer behavior as an arrangement of activities that involves the use
and purchase of services and goods which came out as a result from the clients’ mental and
emotional behavioral and needs responses.
Walters (2007) expressed that “A purchaser is a person who buys, has the ability to purchase
services and goods which are offered by marketing institutions for sale so as to satisfy household
and personal desires, needs and wants.”
According to Jablonski and Durmaz (2012), consumers are the one who consume the products
and services which also plays a vital role in an economy of the country where the products are
produced. When consumer makes a demand and the company doesn’t fulfil that demand of the
customer then it will on the behavior like psychological and emotional which also helps them in
selecting, deciding and buying the product and the benefits of that product or service that they
will get after doing the purchase. According to Armstrong and Kotler (2002) every customer has
different choices when it comes to buying decision and these choices can be affected through
various ways like psychological, social, cultural and personal and each choice are difficult to
manage by marketers and to know about the buying behavior of customers, companies and
exploring the market and investigating what the customer is really looking for.
Furthermore, TOPCU et al (2009) specified that because of so many choices it is difficult for
customer to make a decision while the purchase of that product and also due to the market
In addition, TOPCU et al (2009) stated that the decisions that the customer makes while
purchasing is very difficult because of so many choices and some aspects such as psychological,
sensorial and related to marketing, effect the customers buying decisions.

 Factors affecting Consumer Behavior:

Behavior of customer have been changed because of the exposure and globalization of many
companies and the customers are being very conscious about the product and taking its
information before buying about the products usefulness. Famous brands play a vital role in
consumer’s life. According to James (2012) when it comes to the decision of buying any
electrical or household item, female plays a vital role in the family because as comparing to the
male, females are very careful and price sensitive.
States of mind, for example, religion, music, food, garments, governmental issues, etc. of
different consumers can impact the purchasing behavior of buyers and this leads to unfavorable
and favorable attitudes towards a specific item which makes it hard to make a mind regarding to
the same.
Hoyer and Deborah (2008) manufacturers try their best to continue their product in the market by
investigating and observing the consumers approach to their product.
 Level of Consumer Behavior:
Consumer behavior towards the product like grocery items or products which are less in cost, is
very different and consumer doesn’t take time or search for information while buying them as
compared to the items which & Hamm (2011) stated that Personal, social and psychological
factors doesn’t affect the consumers buying decision while purchasing dairy products or less
costly products and vice versa.
On the other hand schiffman and kanuk (2007) state that factors, for example, conduct what's
more, socioeconomics help in knowing the buyers singular characteristic and figure out the needs
of individuals.
According to Dorot (2013) visibility of gender, age and salary would be better because the
person who is aged has more experience, intelligence and information of the products that need
to be purchased rather than the youngsters to whom brand names attracts the most. The
predominant factor of consumer behavior is the income regarding buying. Consumers who have
low earnings will buy the product which is low in price whereas the consumer who have high
income will buy the expensive items. When it comes to the character like men and women, both
have different demand and the product selection.
According to Toufarova (2008) behavior of customer towards the purchase of items isn't for their
primary function as opposed to it's for their subjectively seen values. This advanced part of the
item is more prominent than its primary utilize value not losing its important functions Rating of
the item isn't as indicated by their basic highlights but it is extended thus called product
representing to its intangible elements giving a favored preferred position to the shopper
including after-deals administration, image, and consultancy.

The Differences between Online and Traditional Shopping

The differences last time by using a special online shopping list with saving engine. On the
other hand, consumers take more perceived risks in an e-commerce than those who use the
traditional method.

Decision-making process, which refers to brand choice and price sensitivity are quite
different during traditional shopping and online purchase. To a large extent, the differences
rely on consumer’s information search process and purchase environment. In addition, online
consumers are more conservative than those with the traditional method in the mall. For
example, the well-known brand gains more popularity on websites (Danaher & Davis, 2003),
which means e-consumers are afraid of trying new products without feeling and touching
them in stores. The well-known brands guarantee the quality of products themselves, and e-
consumers feel safe to purchase products of familiar brands in familiar sizes. Well-k
nown brand with detailed description and lower price will attract more consumers online, and
e-consumers turn out to be more conservative and sensitive with products.
Furthermore, the price is one of the important factors in consumer’s decision-making as well.
Andersone & Gaile-Sarkane (2009) mentioned that online shopping, comparing to traditional
purchase, was more money saving. While e-retailers get high levels of income, the profits are
lowered down by untenable pricing, for 28% of e-consumers use a strategy of choosing the
lowest price retailer (Mintel, 2015). Above all, e-consumers are sensitive with prices as well.

An important perceived disadvantage of online shopping comparing to traditional shopping

is the delivery time. During the decision-making process of online shopping, e-consumers
must take the delivery time into consideration. However, Khiroya (2010) believed that the
delivery time would never fade the advantages of online purchase. Ahn, Ryu, & Han (2004)
also held the opinion that e-consumers required and was delighted by the delivery itself,
which was impossible to expect from traditional shopping. As can be seen, comparing to the
consumers using traditional method, the e-consumers are unable to see, touch, or examine the
goods before online purchase, however, Hoff & Penz (2008) believed that the different
environments between the two ways did not have that much influence on consumers’
purchasing decision
Research Methodology
Henry Ford (2015), stated that the strategy that is used for showing the research in which the
method has been summarized and the selected methods that has been to be observe and to use it.
The main factors that affect the online customer while doing purchase online would be discover
by the researcher. The researcher will show the initial research on consumer behavior and e-
commerce in literature, for one’s own understanding the topic. The studies that contains similar
objectives would be evaluate by the researcher and pay attention to their outcomes.

Approach of would be getting small questionnaire so that they can answer easily.

Data Collection Method

There are two types of methods through which the researcher will gather all the information.

 Primary data:

Collection of primary data will be done through questionnaires for our research. the researcher
can choose various ways while gathering primary data like experiments, observations,
questionnaires and interviews. For our research the best way to collect information is through
questionnaire method because of the main objectives and for research it will provide enough
data.

 Secondary data:

The researcher will use the documentary secondary data combined with multiple source data.
Documentary secondary data would be gathered through various types of researches conducted
within the topic, articles, and books that will be written on the consumer behavior and e-
commerce. This type of data will be the fundamental source for gathering knowledge within the
topic for the researcher to be able to proceed to the main problem of the research.

The multiple source data that the researcher will use will be that to choose which product we
would use for our research in order to be able to find the product that is the most widely
purchased product over the Internet.

Sample Design

 Sample size:

The factors that the researcher intend to examine will be applicable to investigate any population
that uses the Internet and purchases clothes online. Since there are time and resource restraints, a
specific population must be identified in order to generalize and create relevant segments. The
researcher will take the sample size of 100 respondents and will collect data from 100
respondents while researching.

 Sampling Method:

For this research the.

Non-Probability sampling.

 Sampling Technique:

Purposive sampling: This type of sampling is also known as judgmental sampling. With the
specific purpose in mind some issues would be taken as a part of sample. Comparing to other
individuals, researcher believes some problems are more suitable for the research with the
judgmental sampling.

In a study where researcher hope to find out what it takes to purchase books online in college,
the only people who can provide the researcher with relevant information and advice are the
individuals who buy books online. With very few and specific number of individuals that can be
used as a subject, the researcher must use purposive sampling.

Analysis of data:
The analysis of data that will be using for this research is quantitative date to gather more
information. REFERENCE

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