This research investigates ways to help shoppers evaluate physical products via the Internet. The primary research issue is, therefore, how to provide experience vicariously. The study was undertaken in three parts. First, an extensive range of Web sites belonging to Internet-based retailers was examined, together with literature on vicarious experience and Web page design. These helped to explore the question of ‘What components of Web-based representations of physical products might assist shoppers when trying to evaluate those products as part of a purchase decision?’ Online store systems that are representative of the main communication styles found in the Web survey were then evaluated in a series of laboratory-based experiments. This second part of the study makes a broad assessment of the impact of representative technologies on the product evaluation process. Finally, a smaller-scale, more targeted investigation was conducted, also using a laboratory-based experiment. This third part of the study assesses the impact of an individual’s evaluation style on the perceived success of representative technologies.

Title: Technology and Consumers’ Experiences in Fashion Physical Stores: The Case of Sweden Level: Master Thesis in Business Administration Author: Meron Kebede Abebaw; Willard Kingstone Matukuta Supervisor: Agneta Sundström, PhD Examiner: Maria Fregidou-Malama, PhD Date: May, 2018  Aim: The aim of this study is to analyze whether in-store digital technology in fashion retailers are used to change the customers’ shopping experience and behavior. Method: This study chooses qualitative research and used both primary and secondary data collection as method. Results and conclusions: This study have reached to conclude that: with the current advances in technology, physical stores can use in-store technology to give customers a new experience; physical stores perceive that using in-store digital technology will change customers shopping experience. Also, marketing mix inputs and technology affect customers’ behavior. Suggestions for future research: For future research, how smart fitting rooms may influence the customer experience in the physical store will be important to study. Researchers can also consider understanding customer responses to in-store technology. Finally, a customer’s perspective to both suggestions should improve the knowledge on whether digital solutions are preferred in in-store shopping or not. Contributions of the thesis: This thesis contributes to the current state of theories on in-store technology by showing atmosphere has effect on customers’ experiences and behavior in addition to the marketing mix. On the managerial perspective, analyzing the installation of this technology will enable to identify its effect on customers’ experiences and behavior. In addition, on the societal perspective, the behavior of customers will help in motivating younger generation to utilize this in-store technology.

Background The development of the Internet has changed the direction of advertising. Personalised advertising has emerged as the most effective and most profitable form of advertisement. Although personalised advertisement has been praised by many, privacy related concerns have been raised since it can be perceived as a violation of the consumer's privacy. Online shopping is another activity growing on the Internet, which also raises concerns about privacy. Therefore, we find it interesting to look on how personalised advertisement in relation to privacy issues can affect the consumer when buying online. Purpose The purpose of this thesis is to investigate how online shoppers respond to privacy issues and personalised advertising. The research will focus on the shoppers’ perspective of privacy issues with personalised advertising online. It will also provide companies with useful insights into customer behaviour when shopping online, with the intention of evaluating various forms of personalised advertisement and their effectiveness in order to strengthen companies’ online personalised marketing campaigns. Method As multiple explanations to one and the same research question are sought, the research will be conducted from an interpretivist standpoint. A qualitative research method has been chosen in the form of twelve semi-structured interviews with individuals who have been residents of Sweden for more than six months, with a wide range of ages and an equal representation of the male and female gender. The empirical findings will be analysed based on the grounded theory where common themes based on similarities will be presented. Conclusion It was concluded that the attitudes towards personalised advertisement, privacy issues and its effect on buying behaviour depends on where the advertisement comes from as well as from where the individual is shopping. Furthermore, it was also found that although privacy concerns were raised it did not prevent individuals from continuing to purchase online, only from what sites the purchasing was conducted.

This study assesses consumer behavior toward online shopping in Saudi Arabia by studying the factors that affect whether or not they shop online. The sample consisted of 206 Saudis approached using the “snowball” technique. Participants were all above eighteen and Internet users. Participants were asked to give the frequency of their online shopping transactions using a four-point Likert scale. They used a seven-point Likert scale to rate their opinions about trends affecting electronic commerce, companies’ marketing approaches, and other aspects of online shopping. Participants also were asked about their feelings regarding traditional and online shopping using a nine-point bipolar scale. Using the Six Dimensional Achievement Motivations Scale, they were asked to describe themselves, and finally, they were asked to rank the Rokeach Terminal Values based on their importance. The version of the Rokeach Value System used in this study is the one shortened to nine terminal values, by Munson & McQuarrie, 1988, since it reflects better relevance to consumption. Results show that, when compared to traditional shopping, participants have relatively negative perceptions of online shopping. In addition, participants’ demographics and values related to their online shopping frequency, while their achievement motivations were less related. The major limitation of this research is that it was conducted in only one city, Jeddah. Therefore, additional research should be carried out in other cities with larger samples. The research results suggest that businesses in Saudi Arabia should use online shopping as a second channel to distribute their products in addition to their physical stores. This thesis makes a distinctive contribution to the literature, as it is the first to examine the correlation between the Rokeach Value System (1973); the Six Dimensional Achievement Motivation Scale (Jackson, Ahmed, and Heapy, 1976); and online shopping behavior in the world, let alone Saudi Arabia.

The booming of Internet has changed consumers habits in many aspects. Nowadays it is possible to buy almost anything on the Internet but also to access to some information, consumers reviews and other data that can help the consumer to make the best choice. Existing researches have been trying to find explanations to consumer behaviour online, even though it is complicated to analyse. This thesis is focused exclusively on shopping online for clothes and fashion accessories, investigating on a population between 18 and 25 years old. The hypotheses are based on four main aspects of buying: product, price, enjoyment and convenience. The research will provide elements and key factors on their consumer behaviour towards online shopping of fashion and how online companies could make them becoming more loyal to online shopping and become more prosperous.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the advantages and disadvantages of the method of one-click purchasing. One-click purchasing is a method allowing the customers to transact a purchase with only one click. The customer has entered the payment information necessary to complete the purchase at a previous occasion. Within the next buying opportunity, the customer can purchase products with one single click. The analysis and conclusions is based on both primary and secondary sources. The primary sources represent the result of a questionnaire performed with 200 respondents. The survey showed that the most common advantages with the method was fast, smooth, easy and time efficient. The disadvantages on the other hand were more varying and included cons such as uncertain, unreliable, risk-taking, page hacking, fraud and identity hijacking. The conclusion is therefore that the disadvantages are in grater number and also more shifting, which means that the perception of the one-click purchasing method tends to be more negative.

The development of e-commerce relies upon consumer usage intentions, and Information Systems (IS) researchers have examined usage intentions toward various online e-commerce systems. However, these systems have been studied in prior works independently rather than comprehensively. In order to pursue better measures for predicting and explaining Business to Customer (B2C) e-finance and some other major e-commerce adoptions for consumers, a comparison analysis across three different online systems (online shopping, online banking and online payment) was conducted to advance the understanding of the adoption factors and their linkage to consumer behavior. Refining from Perceived Risk Theory and existing studies, specific risk facets, consumer characteristics and system characteristics were operationalized and integrated within the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) resulting in a proposed e-finance and other e-commerce system adoption model. A survey instrument was developed based on exploratory qualitative inquiry and quantitative assessment and was used to assess the influence of different risk and utility facets on the attitude towards e-commerce adoption. Results of this empirical study showed that the relationships between perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and intention of use were positively and significant towards all three online systems, while perceived risk had a negative impact on the adoption of online shopping and online payment only, which could result from the relative high risk perception towards the two systems. The results provide support of extended TAM model which integrates perceived risk and additional system-specific features and user-specific demographic factors in predicting a consumer's intention of adoption of online systems. Implications for both the academic and practitioner communities were discussed.

Informational sources affecting purchase intent in online shopping: A qualitative approach to determine external informational sources affecting the online purchase intention of high involvement products.

Title: Marketing communication of shop and e-shop Sporticus Objectives: The main objective of this master's thesis is to analyse and evaluate marketing communication of shop and e-shop Sporticus. Based on the acquired knowledge, then propose adjustments to streamline the already established activities in the field of marketing communication and at the same time present new measures and opportunities that should contribute to exploiting the potential and further development of shop and e-shop Sporticus. Methods: Qualitative research methods were used for the analysis of marketing communication. Specifically, a semi-structured interview with the shop owner, sales manager and administrator of e-shop. Selected internal documents and statistics (Heureka, SEO test, Facebook, business results) were analyzed. The selected method was accompanied by the participant observation, because the author has been regularly in direct confrontation with development of shop and e-shop Sporticus since September 2016. Selected methods provided the author evidence for designing appropriate changes and measures. Results: The evaluation of marketing communication revealed mostly positive results, which correspond to predominantly positive ratings in online shopping comparison engines. The qualitative methods helped to...

With the spread of covid-19 online shopping all over the globe has increased and with that the importance of E-commerce has also increased. The business managers, marketers and entrepreneurs need to know about the consumer’s preferences when are shopping online and the factors upon which their purchase decision is based. This study aims to identify the most important factors that affect the purchase decisions of consumers while shopping online. This study also aims to find that why are those factors most important for consumers and have those factors changed due to covid-19 or not. Qualitative research methodology was used which was justified on the basis of the research gaps and the nature of the research questions. 20 interviews were conducted and diversified results were noted. This study found the online reviews to be the most important factor for consumers when it came to making purchase decisions online during covid-19. After the online reviews price was found to be the most influential factor for people while making online purchase decisions followed by other factors of word of mouth, security and privacy, discounts and offers, delivery services, product pictures, product information, website design and return policy. This study gives the practical knowledge to business owners, business managers, marketers and entrepreneurs about consumer’s preferences while making purchase decisions online and will enable them to understand the decision-making processes of their customers and lead them to make better, efficient and profitable decisions for their E-commerce businesses.