Consumer behavior and the free shipping: value for environmental economics

Abstract

The Russian practice of marketplaces is often associated with free transport delivery of purchased goods, as opposed to international studies, where the driving factor is a competitive price and a convenient purchase process. The study showed that 83% of marketplace buyers are convinced that the cost of delivery is shared between the seller of the goods and the marketplace itself, and the client gets it for free. International studies indicate that the desire to see the price of delivery as a separate item is typical for rational buyers. Therefore, the initial conclusion was the confirmation of the emotionality of marketplace buyers, as opposed to the rationality of buyers of branded online stores. However, a study conducted by the authors showed that one of the key factors influencing the purchase of goods on marketplaces is the ability to compare prices from different sellers, which is a sign of the rationality of the purchase. Thus, we can conclude that the initial impulse to buy on the marketplace is most often just rational, but the buying process itself can be subject to emotional decisions.