A Conceptual Model to Measure the Impact of Consumer Behaviour on E-Retailing in India

Abstract

21st century is the era of information technology. Be it social networking, banking, ticket booking or e-retailing, the presence of information technology is ubiquitous in our day-to-day affairs. IT has transcended the physical distance between the service providers and the service receivers. It has also provided the consumers the much needed convenience and offered them competitive price for various products and services. In this context, e-retailing has become a major shopping medium for customers specially the younger generations. The tech savvy young generation has taken to e-retailing like a fish takes to water. Even the older generations are becoming comfortable with the use of information technology for shopping purpose. India despite being a late starter, has become a major force in e-retailing and managed to achieve the tag of the fastest growing market in this category within a very short period. Apart from the home grown Flipkart, Snapdeal, Paytm, Shopclues, the largest e-tailer in the world Amazon has also made it into the country. Top retailers like Walmart and Alibaba have picked up major stakes in various e-tailers. The competition has become intense with large discounts and large assortment of products the order of the day. In this context, it has become essential for e-tailers to gauge the consumer behaviour to effectively target them. The present study is an effort to find out the various essential factors impacting e-retail purchase in India and develop a conceptual model for the same.