Factors affecting online shopping behavior in Bangladesh: A demographic perspective

Abstract

Prior studies in Bangladesh examined how several non-demographic factors influenced consumers' online buying behavior. However, no specific research has been conducted to examine an association between consumers' demographic factors and the online shopping behavior of Bangladeshi buyers. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the association between online shopping behavior and the demographic characteristics of Bangladeshi buyers. The association between six consumers' demographic variables, such as age, gender, income, education, occupation, and marital status, and online shopping behavior, proxied by the frequency of online shopping, was examined. Primary data through a structured questionnaire was collected from the 547 respondents in urban and rural areas of seven divisions in Bangladesh through offline and online surveys. The chi-square test was used to examine the association between consumers' demographic characteristics and online shopping behavior. The study found that male and married consumers with a higher level of education and higher-category jobs have a higher propensity to shop online. However, consumers' age and income level do not significantly impact their online shopping behavior. The study's outcomes are expected to provide online retailers and merchants with critical information about buyer behavior.
 Keywords: Association, online shopping behavior, demographic characteristics, chi-square test, Cramér’s V, e-commerce.
 JEL Classification: M31, M39, and L81