The Effect of Online Shopping Among College Students

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the website evaluation criteria among college student consumers in the US with different shopping orientations and Internet channel usage (i.e. online information searchers, online purchasers). The sample for this research was 414 college students, non-married and aged 1822 who have experience in visiting websites selling apparel products. Five apparel website evaluation criteria were identified by factor analysis (i.e. product information, customer service, privacy/security, navigation, auditory experience/comparison shopping). Based on shopping orientation factors, cluster analysis revealed three shopping orientation clusters (i.e. Hesitant In-home Shoppers, Practical Clothing Shoppers, and Involved Clothing Shoppers). Factorial MANOVA showed that website evaluation criteria were significantly different among college student consumers with different shopping orientations and between online information searchers and online purchasers. Implications and limitations of the study are discussed.