As a result of the internet comes into our lives fast around the world, the shopping habits of individuals' have started to change. Technological developments bring forth the idea of the continuous change. This paper is focused on online consumer behavior between Gen Ys, Gen Xs and baby boomers. The importance of this study is to analyze and make evident of the reasons behind online shopping between different generations. Since the online shopping activities are increasing nowadays, it is necessary to understand the leading reasons behind individuals' online shopping activities in order to develop better choices for consumers in a competitive market.
The paper builds on the relevant literature and it examines the consumer behavior of individuals by questionnaires. Furthermore, the hedonic and utilitarian motivational functions and their sub-dimensions will be measured in order to understand the online consumer behavior. To reach those objectives, non-random/ convenience sampling method is applied in Izmir to 384 sample sizes to identify all aspects of the online shopping and impact on consumer behavior. The data results obtained revealed in the paper to support the research questions.
It is determined that there are significant levels of hedonic and utilitarian motivations on online shopping between generations. The differences are particularly observed between Gen Ys and baby boomers within the scope of utilitarian and between Gen Ys and older generations (Gen Xs and baby boomers) within the scope of hedonic motivations.
As a result of the evaluations according to questionnaire, the results show that marketers need to focus on marketing campaigns to Gen Xs and baby boomers about utilitarian motivations. Beside this, they should concentrate on more hedonic motivations for Gen Ys and develop new marketing strategies.
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1: AN OVERVIEW OF ELECTRONIC COMMERCE AND ONLINE MARKETING CONCEPT
1.1 INTERNET USAGE
1.1.1. In The World
1.1.2. In Turkey
1.2 ELECTRONIC COMMERCE
1.3. THE DEVELOPMENT OF E-COMMERCE
1.4. ONLINE MARKETING
1.5. ONLINE MARKETING CHANNELS
1.5.1. Business to Business (B2B)
1.5.2. Business to Consumer (B2C)
1.5.3. Consumer to Consumer (C2C)
1.6. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF ONLINE MARKETING FOR FIRMS
1.6.1. Advantages
1.6.2. Disadvantages
1.7. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES FOR CUSTOMERS
1.7.1.Product
1.7.2. Price
1.7.3. Place
1.7.4. Promotion
CHAPTER 2. ONLINE SHOPPERS AND GENERATIONS AS A FACTOR AFFECTING ONLINE CONSUMPTION BEHAVIOR
2.1. GROWTH OF CONSUMERS' SHOPPING ONLINE
2.2. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF ONLINE SHOPPING FOR CONSUMERS
2.2.1. Advantages
2.2.2. Disadvantages
2.3. FACTORS AFFECTING CONSUMERS' ONLINE CONSUMPTION BEHAVIOR
2.3.1. Cultural Factors
2.3.2. Social Factors
2.3.3. Psychological Factor
2.3.4. Personal Factors
2.4. DEFINITION AND CLASSIFICATION OF GENERATIONS
2.4.1. Baby Boomers (born between 1946-1964)
2.4.2. Generation X (born between 1965-1980)
2.4.3. Generation Y (born between 1981-1994)
2.4.4. Evaluation of Different Generations With Respect to Online Shopping Habits and Attitudes
CHAPTER 3: SURVEY ON ONLINE CONSUMER BEHAVIOR AMONG DIFFERENT GENERATIONS
3.1. OBJECTIVE AND SCOPE OF THE STUDY
3.2. RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND HYPOTHESIS
3.3. QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
3.4. SAMPLING AND DATA COLLECTION
3.5 DATA ANALYSIS
3.5.1. Data Analysis and Findings
3.6. LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
CONCLUSION
REFERENCES
APPENDIX
Research Objectives & Topics
This thesis investigates the differences in online consumer behavior between various generations, specifically Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y, with a primary focus on analyzing the underlying hedonic and utilitarian motivations that drive these individuals to shop online.
- Analysis of electronic commerce and online marketing concepts.
- Examination of factors affecting consumer online consumption behavior.
- Definition and classification of Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y.
- Survey-based assessment of hedonic and utilitarian shopping motivations.
- Comparison of online shopping habits across different generations.
Excerpt from the book
2.4.1. Baby Boomers (born between 1946-1964)
Baby boomers are now 48-66 years old; they were born between 1946 and 1964. They are mostly retired who earned and invested some amount of money. Some of them are sophisticated and desire to spend money on products/services. They spend a lot and respond to changing trends (Lim, Yap and Lee, 2011: 1). Baby boomers are willing to buy houses, home appliances, TVs, cars, etc. They would like to replace, redecorate many things they own. They want to follow the new trends and do not want to stay behind in the new economy (Reisenwitz and Iyer, 2007: 202). They don't want to see themselves as being old. They spend money on vitamins, mineral pills or check up their body to live a healthy life.
According to statistics, some important critics were identified. For example; the number of boomer women exceed men, and 62 % of household boomers have approximately $ 75,000 annual income (Keenan, 2009). Those elderly people have not been receiving enough attention from marketers in this millennium. Most of the marketing campaigns, advertisements are focusing on new generations such as gen X and gen Y and trying to take their attention more than baby boomers.
Summary of Chapters
INTRODUCTION: Provides an overview of the development of information and communication technologies and how they have transformed traditional business transactions into online commerce.
CHAPTER 1: AN OVERVIEW OF ELECTRONIC COMMERCE AND ONLINE MARKETING CONCEPT: Discusses the fundamentals of electronic commerce, internet usage statistics, and the core components of the online marketing mix for firms and customers.
CHAPTER 2. ONLINE SHOPPERS AND GENERATIONS AS A FACTOR AFFECTING ONLINE CONSUMPTION BEHAVIOR: Reviews the growth of online shopping and examines various social, cultural, personal, and psychological factors, including generational differences, that influence consumer behavior.
CHAPTER 3: SURVEY ON ONLINE CONSUMER BEHAVIOR AMONG DIFFERENT GENERATIONS: Details the research methodology, including the design and collection of survey data to test hypotheses regarding generational differences in hedonic and utilitarian shopping motivations.
CONCLUSION: Summarizes the research findings, highlighting that while younger generations are more driven by hedonic motives, Baby Boomers and Generation X are more focused on utilitarian aspects when shopping online.
Keywords
Online Shopping, Online Consumer Behavior, Generation Y, Generation X, Baby Boomer, Hedonic Motivation, Utilitarian Motivation, Convenience Sampling, Electronic Commerce, Online Marketing, Consumer Psychology, Generational Differences, Internet Usage, Marketing Strategy, Digital Consumerism.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this thesis?
The thesis focuses on analyzing how different generations—Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Gen Y—differ in their online consumer behavior, specifically regarding their underlying shopping motivations.
What are the primary thematic fields covered in this study?
The study covers electronic commerce foundations, consumer behavior theory, the classification of generational cohorts, and the measurement of shopping motivations.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to determine if significant differences exist between generations in their hedonic and utilitarian motivations for shopping online and to provide insights for better marketing strategies.
Which scientific methods were employed for this research?
The author utilized a survey-based methodology, collecting data from 384 respondents in Izmir using a non-random, convenience sampling technique, followed by statistical analysis including ANOVA and Tukey tests.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The main body covers the rise of e-commerce, the marketing mix in an online context, factors influencing consumer choices such as culture and family, and the specific characteristics of generational groups.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
The key concepts include online consumer behavior, hedonic and utilitarian motivations, generational segmentation, and electronic commerce.
How do Baby Boomers differ from younger generations in their online shopping?
The study indicates that Baby Boomers tend to be more conservative and focused on utilitarian motivations like efficiency and specific product information, compared to the more hedonic-driven younger generations.
What role does trust play in online shopping according to the author?
Trust is identified as a critical barrier for many internet users, and the author suggests that firms must focus on building reliable brands and transparent websites to overcome these concerns.
- Citar trabajo
- Mert Aktan (Autor), 2019, An Analysis of Online Consumer Behavior Between Different Generations, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/509843
