Analyze the Influence of Demographic Characteristics of Online Shoppers in Their Preference of Major Shopping Portals

1. INTRODUCTION

The online shopping patterns the world over spread quick. The greater part of the companies are running their portals to sell their items/administrations online. Web clients who are the potential online customers are relied to achieve 600 million by 2020. Increased expansion of cell phones, lower cost of availability and improved quality and extended reach in lower urban communities and rural areas because of improved system foundation would boost online shopping in the days to come. The development of online shopping is however determined more by qualities of websites, the attributes of demographic variables assume a vital role in attracting of consumers additionally have a solid impact in their inclination. It is, in this way worth researching that online customers and the impact of their demographic attributes behind such inclination favor what are the popular online portals. This data would appropriately help the e-marketers to improve the capacity of their e-shopping destinations in attracting, adding and retaining online customers to their fold. Nothing is unsurprising in India aside from change. The web upheaval has realized a change in perspective in the manner in which things are finished. The Internet and internet (www) have dramatically changed the manner in which consumers look for and use data. The Internet, which was prior, conceptualized as an instrument for enchasing data, has turned into an imperative spot of business nowadays. For organizations, the way to survival later on relies upon how well they can coordinate this medium in their plan of action today. To sell anything over the web, they need to consider that who their customers are, what their ways of managing money resemble and the items and administrations they incline. Devouring propensities have experienced significant moves in the years after freedom. For people conceived in the post-autonomy period, deficiencies were a lifestyle. They were not keen on the laces or extravagant highlights and purchased what they got paying little mind to amount. It has bit like Hanry passage's adage about the model T Ford: "the client can have any shading he needs, as long as it's dark." Today's client is an alternate pot of fish. The extra cash of the white-collar class is

Because of quick development of innovation, business associations have changed over from the customary strategy for pitching merchandise to electronic technique for selling products. Business associations use web as a fundamental vehicle to direct business exchanges. • Convenience of online shopping • No pressure shopping • Online shopping saves time • Comparisons • Availability of online shop • Online tracking • Online shopping saves money

Usability is the prime reason that drives the accomplishment of web base business. In spite of the fact that web gives a brisk and simple approach to buy a product; a few people want to utilize this innovation just in a restricted manner. They see web as a methods for social occasion more data about an item before getting it in a shop. A few people additionally dread that they may get dependent on online shopping. The major disadvantages of online shopping are as follows. • Delay in delivery • Lack of significant discounts in online shops • Lack of touch and feel of merchandise in online shopping • Lack of interactivity in online shopping • Lack of shopping experience • Lack of close examination in online shopping • Frauds in online shopping

Ankur Kukreti (2018) - This examination investigates numerous factors that sway buyer's behavior amid online purchase at any E-commerce business site. In this paper creator has used creators has examined 20 factors and tried to discover their effect on purchasing behavior by the means of a self-designed questionnaire. Creator has examined 200 potential online customers with respect to trust and advancement and their mentalities furthermore, expectations to shop online at specific sites. We found that Customer benefits, Fast economic and secured purchase, Trend with technology, Easy availability were indicating significant effect on consumer purchasing behavior. Kalia et al. (2016) - discovered that most online shoppers were youthful, and fall inside the age group of 21 to 30 years old. Min and Khoon (2013) discovered that age factor did not make any significant difference in the basic elements of service quality evaluation. What's more, age does not moderate the relationship among usefulness, enjoyment, external characteristics, and reliability. Dahiya and Richa (2012) - found in his investigation that online shopping was significantly influence by demographic characteristics of customers; notable among them were age, gender, marital status, family size and income. As indicated by Wu (2003) consumer characteristics and consumer life styles have significant relationship with the preference of online portals. Cheung et.al (2003) found that five fundamental factors influenced the consumer online purchasing, they were, consumer's individual characteristics, the medium's characteristics, item characteristics, environmental factors and merchant characteristics. They at last indicated the solid influence of consumer characteristics in selecting websites. Vijay, Sai. T. & Balaji, M. S. (May 2009) - revealed that Consumers, everywhere throughout the world, are increasingly moving from the crowded stores to the one-tick online shopping position. However, in spite of the convenience offered, online shopping is a long way from being the most preferred type of shopping in India. A survey among 150 internet users, including the two users and non-users of online shopping, was carried out to understand why some purchase online while others don't. The results suggested that convenience and sparing of time drive Indian consumers to shop online; while security and privacy concerns dissuade them from doing as such.

1) To locate the demographic characteristics of online shoppers. 2) To know the main ten Online shopping portals preferred by online shoppers.

4) To offer suggestions based on the discoveries of the investigation.

It is an empirical investigation based on both primary and secondary information. By following purposive testing technique, 700 online customers were choose and contact. Responses deserving of consideration received from 537 respondents, who formed the sample size for the investigation. Responses were obtain on 20 statements expressing the preference of shopping portals by following 5-point Likert type scaling procedure. A well-structured and pretested interview schedule was use to collect primary information. Statistical instruments like percentage investigation, weighted average score and chi-square test used for analyzing the information. The examination was conduct in the Madurai region of Tamil Nadu state.

The results of data analysis are present in the accompanying tables with interpretation.

Table-1 reveals that a majority of online respondents belonging to the age category of 'up to 25 (51%),gender category of 'male'(66%),education category of 'degree/Diploma'(41%) marital status category of 'unmarried'(42%), occupation category of 'house wives' (56%) and family income category of 'between Rs 1lakh and Rs 2 lakh'(50%) are dominating the sample. The top 10 online shopping portals preferred by respondents given in Table-2

Table-2 demonstrates the overall preference of shopping websites, among the primary, second and third positions are occupy by Amazon.in, Flipkart.com and Snapdeal.com respectively. Other seven websites are additionally rank based on their respective weighted average score. The influence of demographic variables of shoppers on the preference of major shopping portals is analyze with a help of chi-square test and results are furnish in the accompanying tables. With the end goal of analysis, the websites ranked from fourth to tenth were club together under the heading 'others'. Null hypotheses framed for the study are: NH1- Age of online shoppers does not influence the preference of online shopping portals. NH2- Gender of online shoppers does not influence the preference of online shopping portals. NH3- Educational level of online shoppers does not influence the preference of online shopping portal. NH4- Martial status of online shoppers does not influence the preference of online shopping portals. NH5- Occupation of online shoppers does not influence the preference of online shopping portals. NH6- Family Income of online shoppers does not influence the preference of online shopping portals.

• In respect of Amazon.com, except marital status, the null hypotheses for the

• In respect of Filpkart.com and Snapdeal.com except occupation, the null hypotheses for other demographic variables are rejected. • In respect of ‗other‘ portals, the null hypotheses for variables namely gender, occupation, and family income are rejected. It might be finally conclude that with the exception of variables like marital status and occupation, all other demographic variables have solid influence on the preference of major three shopping portals i.e. Amazon.in, Flipkart.com and Snapdeal.com. In respect of preference of every other entryway, the influences of these variables are complex.

As the result of the investigation having clearly indicated the influence of age, gender, education, and family income of online shoppers while preferring the online portals, it is suggested that while designing portals, features, which are likely to influence these group of customers, have to be incorporated. Additionally, it must be ensured that the strategies adopted have to be changed every now and then when targeting different categories of these groups based on their specific requirements like attractive designs, looks, ease of route, improve downloading speed, attractive limited time offers, etc. The developing potential of online shopping in India however offers a great business opportunity in 'business to consumer' (B2C) segment, despite everything it remains a major challenge as well. The retail monsters who are the major beneficiaries of these online portals have moral just as business responsibility in their overall creation and maintainability. The ANOVA results for consumers' response crosswise over different demographics factors demonstrates that gender impacts frequency of online shopping positively and Family Size effects overall spend on online shopping. The overall results prove that the respondents have perceived online shopping in a positive manner. This clearly justifies the project development of online shopping in the nation. However, the frequency of online shopping is relatively less in the nation. Online shopping associations can use the relevant variables and factors, identified from the examination, to formulate their strategies and plans in the nation.

1. Ankur Kukreti (2018) – ―Effects Of Online Shopping On Consumer Buying Behavior‖. 2. Dhaka Tribune. (2015). Online shopping worth Tk7,184cr each year. Retrieved May 8, 2018, from 3. Ganapathi, R. (2015) – ―A Study on Factors Affecting Online Shopping Behavior of Consumers in Chennai‖, Journal of Management Research and Analysis, 2(2), pp. 123-126. 4. Kalia, P., Singh, T., & Kaur, N. (2016) – ―An empirical study of online shoppers‘ search behavior with respect to sources of information in Northern India. Productivity‖, A Quarterly Journal of the National Productivity Council, 56(4), pp. 353–361 5. Eri, Y., Islam, M. A., & Daud, K. A. K. (2011). Factors that influence customers‘ buying intention on shopping online. International Journal of marketing studies, 3(1), pp. 128. 6. Dahiya Richa (2012) – ―Impact of demographics factors of consumers on online shopping behaviour‖, International journal of engineering and science, vol.4, Issue-3, 2012. 7. Vijay, Sai. T. & Balaji, M. S. (May 2009) - ―Online Shopping in India: Findings from a Consumer Research‖, Marketing Mastermind, Vol. 5, the ICFAI University Press. 8. Constantinides, E. (2004). Influencing the online consumer‘s behavior: The web experience. Internet Research, 14(2), pp. 111–126. doi:10.1108/10662240410530835 9. Cheung.c, Zhu.L and T.chan (2003) – ―Online Consumer Behaviour :A Review and Agenda for future research‖, e commerce conference Bled Slovenia. 10. Wu.S (2003) – ―The Relationship between Consumer characteristics and attitude towards online shopping‖, Marketing Intelligence and Planning‘ vol-10(4) pp. 309-335

Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Commerce, MDU, Rohtak dbs22071968@gmail.com