A STATISTICAL STUDY ON ONLINE SHOPPING WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO SALEM CORPORATION

I.INTRODUCTION

Online shopping is the better way of buying several items of your own choice at one place and get it delivered wherever you do live itself.Therefore we can define online shopping as one of the convenient and interesting ways of shopping.It reduces market crowd and saves our money and time.Consumers can get full information about the product with its reviews being passed by the existing users. If one wants to buy a product he/she is no longer limited to asking the friends and families because there are many products reviews on the web which gives opinions of the existing users of the product.Online shopping sites contain wide variety of goods both high quality and mild quality keeping in mind the level of people.

• 1.There are no national and International Barriers.
• 2.In online shopping the consumers will be in a demanding position and suppliers will not be in a commanding position.
• 3.There is enormous employment opportunities in online shopping.

Benefits of Online Shopping:

There are numerous advantages of online shopping. People feel more convenient while shopping online. They can shop from anywhere at their own convenient time through easy and safe payment methods. Online shopping has empowered consumers with various advantages such as convenience and time-saving, lower search costs and better product selection, lower price etc. One of the biggest benefits of online shopping is that you can buy the items you want with just a single click. Online stores are open 24 hours a day and are accessible from any location with an Internet connection.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Shopping:

Everything in this world is connected with both positive and negative aspects. The same is with online shopping too. On one hand, it is benefitting, and on the other hand, it has disadvantages too.

Advantages of online shopping:

• 1.It provides us with a convenient way of shopping.
• 2.We can see different products and services just by one click. Different variants are available in the required size and shapes.
• 3.It saves us from the rush and crowd of the markets. Also, saves our time wasted in roaming from one shop to another and standing in queues for hours for billing purposes.
• 4.We get products in our price ranges and also at a lower price.
• 5.We can order dresses according to our choice and occasion requirements. As most of the time, we are unable to get the dress we want, in offline shopping.

Disadvantages of online shopping:

• 1.The products we buy, generally when delivered, do not match with one we have ordered.
• 2.If we require the product immediately, then we cannot have that option or we will have to pay extra charges.
• 3.Many of the times we save our card details for the transaction purpose, hackers use the same card details for the cybercrime.
• 4.The returning of any product may be chargeable and time taking too.
• 5.Most of the time, damaged goods are received.

Online Shopping - Best Option during Pandemic (Covid-19):

The outbreak of COVID-19, throughout the world was most devastating for us. During those times, moving outside was banned and different countries were under lockdown for several months. People, all over the world, preferred online mediums to get their products and services ordered and delivered. Therefore it can be stated that online shopping has been the best choice or alternative. People have been provided with the option of getting delivered every product at their doorstep.

Statement of the problem:

It is difficult for the online seller to identify the customer’s wants and needs, since potential customers are large in number. It is important to identify the factors that influence the customers to prefer online shopping. Therefore, the study is undertaken by the researcher.

Scope of the study:

The present study has made an attempt to understand the customer’s preference towards online shopping. Online shopping is an emerging concept in the study area.This study enables to understand the customer preference towards shopping and provides insight about online shopping.

Objectives of the study:

• 1.To analyze the preference of the sample respondents.
• 2.Identifying the amount of Internet users that are conducting online shopping.
• 3.Identifying the main characteristics of online purchasing behavior (whether they are buying, how often, what are they buying, how much they spend, payment methods, delivery methods).
• 4.Identifying the main reasons for preferring online shopping rather than traditional shopping.
• 5.Identifying the what type of products/services do purchased through online.
• 6.Identifying the main problems / disadvantages encountered in the online shopping.

Research methodology:

This study is based on the responses of 209 respondents online shopping with special reference to salem corporation. The data was collected during November, 2022 to January 2023. Google Forms Application was utilized to automate the questionnaire and distribute it through social media channels. Secondary Data has been also collected from various journals, websites and newspaper reports.

II.REVIEW OF LITERATURE

The early related works to online shopping behavior was done by Bellman et al. (1999). Researchers studied the predictors of online shopping behavior. Approximately 10000 people completed the survey that included questions about online behavior and internet attitudes. Authors reported a wired lifestyle for buyers, whose main characteristics are searching for product information on the internet, receiving a large number of email messages every day, having internet access in their offices. Knowledge of customer behaviour patterns and motives that guide them when making purchases is of great importance for success in the modern market. Researching consumer behaviour can provide managers with the knowledge they need to develop effective communication methods that motivate people to buy goods and services. Knowledge of behavioural patterns is also useful when creating marketing campaigns (2012, 2019, 2020). The increasing dependence of firms on e-commerce activities and the recent failure of a large number of dot-com companies stresses the challenges of operating through virtual channels and also highlights the need to better understand consumer behavior in online market channels in order to attract and retain consumers. In this sense, there seems to be an understanding that online shopping behavior is fundamentally different from that in conventional retail environment, (Peterson et al., 1997) as e-commerce relies on hypertext Computer Mediated Environments (CMEs) and the interaction customer-supplier is ruled by totally different principles. Understanding the factors that explain how consumers interact with technology, their purchase behavior in electronic channels and their preferences to transact with an electronic vendor on a repeated basis is crucial to identify the main drivers of consumer behavior in online market channels.

III.ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

HYPOTHESIS TESTING

1.Rank the reasons for selecting a particular online store for purchase

Reasons:

Friedman Test

Hypothesis:

The ranks for the different rank the reasons for selecting a particular online store for purchase are the same.

OUTPUT:

INTERPRETATION:

Products/services:

Friedman Test

Hypothesis:

The ranks for what type of products/services do you purchased through online are the same.

OUTPUT:

INTERPRETATION:

IV.CONCLUSION

Suggestion and conclusion:

• 1.Always place orders from a secure connection
• 2.Know the merchant and their reputation
• 3.Avoid offers that seem “too good to be true”
• 4.If you are buying a Gift Card, read the Terms and Conditions.
• 5.Don't use an e-store that requires more information than necessary to make the sale.
• 6.Use a credit card or payment service.
• 7.Shop only on secure sites.
• 8.Use strong passwords.
• 9.Don't click on links.

Many teenagers and bachelors are now using the E-Commerce for fulfilling there shopping desires. Most of them are completely aware of all the pros and cons of online shopping. Graduates are the majority users of E-retail. Cash on delivery remains the best choice for payment followed by Debit and credit cards. Females are marginally more interested in shopping through the internet due too its convenience. Most users are shopping once or twice a week though the web with spending ranging from rupees 100 to 2500 monthly. With most of the E- retailers selling branded goods and having flexible return policies they are being well trusted by the users. Apparel, footwear and Accessories lead as the most demanded goods online followed by Software and Music. The most visited and trusted sites are Amazon and Flip-kart according to the survey.