SEGMENTING THE ONLINE CONSUMER MARKET BY ONLINE PURCHASE BEHAVIOUR IN EASTERN INDIA PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

Unfulfilled demands being met through the online market, is it here to stay? This is the important question facing the industry. Be it the big malls or the online market they have to compete for space in the same market with all retail formats. The formats which will survive will be decided by the consumers.Thus mapping consumer behavior and responding to it is the prime task for all marketers, more so for the technology loaded online market. The old consumer market seemed to be very simple. The aim was to expand the market size continuously in order to achieve economies of scale. In contrast, the new consumer market is mostly based on information management and digital revolution. The research studies that online buyers are influenced by various benefits which accrue from the advantages that technology has on offer. These have been clubbed under the following after factor analysis. Buyers have made purchases due to benefits accruing to them in the areas of Improved Retail Service, Smooth Operations, Customer Relationship Management, Consistency in delivery, Better scope of discount, Discreet purchases, Satisfaction on usage, Trustworthy Retailing. The study also found four significant clusters by applying cluster analysis on demographic factors of online consumers with respect to online shopping factors which are as follows: Senior Female in Rural Area comprises of females above 50 years, non-working residing mainly in the rural areas with educational qualification professional, Senior Urban Male Achievers is of males in the age group of above 50 years working and income above 80,000 per month residing mainly in urban areas and educational qualification of Professional, Young Male In Urban Area is a young group dependent but computer savvy and ready to take the risk of online purchasing and Young Female In Urban is the dashing young working women having achieved her position in life ready to go for the most current and updated products and accessories online. newline newline