E-Commerce​ ​Shopping​ ​Behaviors​ ​and​ ​Practices​ ​of​ ​Selected​ ​Customers​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Clothing

Industry

In​ ​Partial​ ​Fulfillment

Of​ ​the​ ​Requirements​ ​in

Research​ ​Capstone

Submitted​ ​by:

01​ ​Chen,​ ​Bryce

02​ ​Chon,​ ​Lorenz
06​ ​Dee,​ ​Christian
07​ ​Lin,​ ​Jason

Submitted​ ​to:

Mr.​ ​Alvin​ ​B.​ ​Barcelona,​ ​M.A.

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 Table​ ​of​ ​Contents
I. Introduction
A. Background​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Study………………………………………………………………...3
B. Statement​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Problem………………………………………………………………..6
C. Benefits​ ​and​ ​Beneficiaries……………………………………………………………….6
D. Scope​ ​and​ ​Limitations​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Study…………………………………………………….8
E. Definition​ ​of​ ​Terms……………………………………………………………………....8
II.​ ​Review​ ​of​ ​Related​ ​Literature
A. E-Commerce​ ​Shopping…………………………………………………………………10
B. E-Commerce​ ​Shopping​ ​Behaviours...…………………………………………………12
C. Apparel​ ​Shopping​ ​in​ ​E-Commerce…………………………………………………….14
D. Theoretical​ ​Framework…………………………………………………….…………..16
E. Conceptual​ ​Framework………………………………………………………………...18
F. Conceptual​ ​Paradigm………………………………………………………………......19
III.​ ​Methodology
A. Research​ ​Design…………………………………………………….…………………...20
B. Research​ ​Locale…………………………………………………….…………………...21
C. Sampling​ ​Procedure…………………………………………………………………….21
D. Instruments…………………………………………………….………………………..22
E. Data​ ​Analysis…………………………………………………………………………....23
IV.​ ​Results​ ​and​ ​Discussions
A. Frequency​ ​of​ ​E-Commerce​ ​Apparel​ ​Shopping​ ​…………………………………...….25
B. Factors​ ​that​ ​Affect​ ​the​ ​Online​ ​Shopping​ ​Habits​ ​of​ ​Consumers………………….….27
C. Benefits​ ​and​ ​Advantages​ ​of​ ​Online​ ​Shopping​ ​………………..……………………....32
D. Input​ ​to​ ​Improve​ ​a​ ​Customer’s​ ​Online​ ​Shopping​ ​Experience​ ​.……………..………34
V.​ ​Summary,​ ​Conclusion​ ​and​ ​Recommendation
A. Summary………………………………………………………………………………..35
B. Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………....36
C. Recommendation……………………………………………………………………….37
VI.​ ​References…………………………………………………………………………………..39
VII.​ ​Appendix
A. Letter​ ​of​ ​Permission……………………………………………………………………44
B. Original​ ​Questionnaire​ ​with​ ​Factor​ ​Analysis………………………………………...45
C. Google​ ​Forms​ ​Questionnaire………………………………………………………......47

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 CHAPTER​ ​1

Introduction

A.​ ​Background​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Study

For the longest time, shopping has been part of every human being’s daily lives.

Individuals go shopping with different intentions in mind. Narasimha (n.d.) proposes three main

reasons as to why people shop-- to relax and keep their mind off of things, more commonly

known as retail therapy; to get to know themselves better by realizing one’s personal

preferences,​ ​tastes,​ ​and​ ​habits;​ ​and​ ​to​ ​be​ ​able​ ​to​ ​satisfy​ ​their​ ​personal​ ​wants​ ​and​ ​needs.

Humans, in general, require the satisfaction of numerous needs for the purpose of

survival. Based on Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, the very first need that humans must address is

their physiological needs which include water, food, shelter, and clothing. Better known as the

basic needs, it is essential for the continuous existence of human beings. According to Bently,

Corvili and Brooksby (2017), clothing is a basic need for humans because of three main reasons:

(1)​ ​protection,​ ​(2)​ ​expression,​ ​and​ ​(3)​ ​safety.

However, the infinite wants and ever curious minds of humans have paved way to treat

clothes as not only a need but also a want. According to Seth (2015), humans are not contented

with only satisfying the basic necessities in life; they tend to crave and ask for more so as to

alleviate their materialistic minds. With this mindset, human beings saw the need for clothing not

to be viewed only as a form of protection but also as a form of luxury and a way of pleasing the

people​ ​around​ ​them.

In these modern times, technology has also become a necessity for most individuals,

especially for millennials. It has helped evolve various aspects of our lives, from the simplest

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aspects to that of the most complex. Currently, technology plays one of the most significant roles

in a person’s daily life; to say the least, it makes people’s lives so much easier. These

technological advancements, ranging from the simple machinery to smartphones, online

applications, and social media, have become the main tools for man to be able to do his or her

work​ ​efficiently.

Likewise, one of the most recent technological improvements is online shopping. With

advanced technologies and the development of the World Wide Web, it has become easier to

access the different kinds of products sold all around the world. Online shopping is known to be

a form of electronic commerce, which allows consumers to directly buy and sell products and

services over the Internet using different kinds of platform and gadgets. Since its inception in the

1970s, e-commerce has improved exponentially (Green, 2011). In its first few years, there were a

lot of doubts and questions about its uses, functions, and place in the society. Nevertheless, once

the​ ​new​ ​millennium​ ​entered,​ ​this​ ​new​ ​field​ ​of​ ​selling​ ​saw​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​major​ ​advancements.

Amazon, currently the largest online retailer in the world, was the first among others to

adapt to this modern technology. In 1995, it started selling books online and almost 20 years

afterwards, Amazon not only offers books, but also electronics, food, and apparel (Green, 2011).

After Amazon launched, many more followed its footsteps with many business entrepreneurs

venturing out and trying to hit it big by focusing on specific fields in ecommerce. For example,

some online stores sell electronics and gadgets only, while others focus on selling clothing and

apparel.

Right now, more and more business are engaging in e-stores rather than retail stores. In

the most recent study of Perez (2016), in the US, more than 79% (compared to the 60% figure

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back in 2013) of its citizens purchase their goods online. Looking at the huge leap in a span of

three years, it is evident that e-commerce is expanding at an exponential rate. To be more

specific, 28% of all global shoppers purchase all their clothing and footwear in online shopping

stores (Maxwell, 2017). Moreover, of all the product categories in the e-commerce field, clothing

is​ ​the​ ​aspect​ ​in​ ​which​ ​online​ ​shoppers​ ​buy​ ​most​ ​from​ ​with​ ​an​ ​astounding​ ​77%.

In the Philippines, more and more people shop online, and according to Torres (2015),

nearly 9 out of the 10 Filipino consumers that they have surveyed buy products through the

internet. The study conducted by Visa International showed that the number of consumers who

shopped online for apparel was 39%. Furthermore, the online retail market in the country is

expected to grow by 189.2% in the years 2013-2020, signifying that by 2020, the expected

number​ ​of​ ​online​ ​shoppers​ ​would​ ​be​ ​46.1​ ​million​ ​people​ ​(Reyes,​ ​2016).

Despite the huge amount of people purchasing clothing from online stores, there is still

an inadequate amount of researches regarding this specific field of e-commerce, both in the

Philippines and worldwide, and although there are already a number of researches about the

factors that affect the e-commerce industry in general, there are limited researches which focus

on consumer online apparel purchasing. Therefore, this study hopes to address this gap by

studying the further the factors affecting consumer purchases specifically in the clothing

industry.

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B.​ ​Objectives​ ​&​ ​Statement​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Problem

With the rise of e-commerce’s influence all over the world, monitoring and studying the

consumer patterns of its customers is very crucial in order to stay afloat in the cut-throat

industry. In line with this, the researchers aspire to gather information regarding the extent to

which customers engage in e-commerce apparel shopping and the factors affecting their

aforementioned shopping habits. Aside from that, the researchers would also like to determine

the benefits and challenges customers experience when buying online. More importantly

afterwards, the study aims to identify what actions can be implemented to improve a customer’s

online apparel shopping experience. In order to attain all these information, the researchers

would​ ​like​ ​to​ ​answer​ ​the​ ​following:

1. How​ ​frequent​ ​do​ ​customers​ ​engage​ ​in​ ​e-commerce​ ​shopping​ ​of​ ​clothing?

2. What are the factors affecting the online shopping habits of selected customers in the

clothing​ ​industry?

3. What benefits and challenges do customers enjoy or face when they engage in

e-commerce​ ​shopping​ ​of​ ​clothing?

​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​4.​ ​ ​ ​What​ ​inputs​ ​can​ ​be​ ​made​ ​to​ ​improve​ ​a​ ​customer’s​ ​online​ ​shopping​ ​experience?

C.​ ​Significance​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Study

In this modern day and age wherein the e-commerce industry is booming, it is very

timely and important to conduct research studies regarding this new technological concept. By

doing​ ​so,​ ​it​ ​will​ ​be​ ​advantageous​ ​for​ ​the​ ​following​ ​beneficiaries:

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 (1) Start-up businesses. It is essential to critically identify and study the shopping

behaviors of customers in order to bring success to the startup online store. By identifying the

factors affecting the online shopping habits of customers in the clothing industry, this research

may serve as a guide to startup entrepreneurs or even long-time owners of online clothing stores

in​ ​making​ ​decisions​ ​as​ ​to​ ​how​ ​to​ ​properly​ ​cater​ ​and​ ​satisfy​ ​their​ ​consumers.

(2) Online store owners. This research aims to show the different advantages and

disadvantages that e-commerce pose. In doing so, business heads may use it as an opportunity to

build on the said advantages and seek ways on how to improve its weaknesses so as to improve

the​ ​shopping​ ​experience​ ​of​ ​the​ ​customer.

(3) Retailers. Similar to the online store owners, by studying the different aspects of

online clothing shopping, retailers will be able to adjust their tactics and strategies that suit what

the public want. They can take advantage of the downsides of online shopping and use it as their

weapon​ ​to​ ​make​ ​it​ ​big.

(4) Consumers. Since online clothing shopping is still a new trend in the society, this

research can also help expand the knowledge that already is present regarding e-commerce and

add​ ​new​ ​valuable​ ​and​ ​relevant​ ​data​ ​based​ ​on​ ​the​ ​researcher's’​ ​own​ ​gathered​ ​information.

(5) Future Researchers. Knowing that e-commerce is one of the most current trends in the

market, there will surely be newer researches regarding this topic. Thus, this research paper will

greatly​ ​help​ ​them​ ​in​ ​formulating​ ​their​ ​studies.

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D.​ ​Scope​ ​and​ ​Limitations

This study focused on identifying the factors affecting the online shopping habits of

customers in the clothing industry, without considering the other industries of e-commerce. Also,

because of the very short time frame (only around two months) in conducting the research

proper, only a small sample size of 100 people was obtained. Moreover, these respondents,

which mostly comprised of friends, classmates, family, and other close connections only, were

selected using non-random sampling. The surveying was done for only a week through Google

Forms, and in analyzing the data, only simple statistics such as mean and standard deviation

were​ ​used.

E.​ ​Definition​ ​of​ ​Terms

1. E-commerce - As defined in Investopedia, e-commerce is where the buying and selling of

goods happen​. ​The researchers used e-commerce as the tool in identifying the behaviours

of​ ​shoppers.

2. Entrepreneur - According to Investopedia, an entrepreneur is the one who establish and

runs a small business rather than working as an employee​. The usage of this word in this

paper​ ​shows​ ​the​ ​aspiring​ ​businesses​ ​that​ ​have​ ​also​ ​indulged​ ​in​ ​this​ ​type​ ​of​ ​business.

3. Millennials - ​As mentioned in Investopedia, Millennials are the generation born between

1982 and 2004. The researchers used millennials as an example of the new generation

that​ ​relies​ ​heavily​ ​on​ ​the​ ​usage​ ​of​ ​internet.

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4. Retail Store - According to Business Dictionary, retail store is ​a place where products or

services are given to the public. In the paper, it was manifested that more people are

involving​ ​themselves​ ​into​ ​the​ ​e-commerce​ ​field​ ​instead​ ​of​ ​the​ ​traditional​ ​way​ ​of​ ​selling.

5. Social Media - As mentioned in Investopedia, social media is an internet-based software

which would allow individuals to interact with each other. In the paper, social media was

an​ ​example​ ​of​ ​the​ ​improvement​ ​in​ ​making​ ​one’s​ ​work​ ​accomplished​ ​more​ ​efficiently.

6. Technology - According to BusinessDictionary, technology in the study is referred to as a

is ​a calculated utilization of the information specialized aspects of a particular field of

endeavor.​​ ​In​ ​the​ ​paper,​ ​technology​ ​is​ ​a​ ​tool​ ​that​ ​helps​ ​man​ ​to​ ​do​ ​his​ ​work​ ​efficiently.

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 CHAPTER​ ​2

Review​ ​of​ ​Related​ ​Literature

This chapter presents relevant literature and studies that have been critically reviewed by

the researchers in order to acquire new and appropriate knowledge on the given topic. The

information compiled is in line with the online shopping behaviours of consumers, the main

topic​ ​being​ ​discussed​ ​in​ ​the​ ​paper.

E-Commerce​ ​Shopping

Saravanan and Brindha Devi (2015) that in the past, when the internet was not as

influential to the life of people as today, customers used to rely on retail and physical stores just

to purchase their goods and since they do not have that much access to information about the

products, they have a hard time choosing which commodities to purchase. Nevertheless, as a

result of the development of the World Wide Web, customers now can easily access any wanted

information regarding the product they want to buy without consuming any resources in doing

so. Alam and Yasim (2010, as cited in Saravanan & Brindha Devi, 2015) report that product

variety, website design, delivery performances, and reliability are the four key factors

influencing the consumer's’ satisfaction of online shopping. In this era of online competition,

business entrepreneurs should all focus on customer’s satisfaction to retain existing customers

and expanding and attracting new customers. However, although a majority of internet users

have a positive attitude towards e-commerce, they also argue that there exists a need for

developing more awareness regarding cyber laws and consumer rights and enhancing the

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distribution system for online products. The study conducted by Saravanan, & Brindha Devi

(2015) performed a quantitative research method wherein they surveyed 200 respondents, which

comprised of 57% men and 43% women. The respondents then were asked to answer a

self-developed questionnaire that utilized a Likert scale. Secondary data, which included

information from books, magazines, websites, and journals, were also included in the paper for

the​ ​purpose​ ​of​ ​the​ ​study.

Similarly, according to Jain, Goswami and Bhutani (2014), although the world has

entered into an “e-generation” era, revolutionizing the global selling landscape, there is still a

dire need for closer examination in this newly-formed industry because it is still in its early

developmental stages. To be more specific, a consumer’s attitude towards online shopping

should be monitored keenly because it affects e-shopping potential greatly (Shwu-Ing, 2003, as

cited in Jain, Goswami, & Bhutani 2014). Understanding and studying these attitudes can aid

managers and entrepreneurs to foresee and assess the future expansion of e-commerce. Jain,

Goswami, and Bhutani (2014) explains the process of their research. First, since mostly college

students engage in online shopping, they used convenience sampling in selecting their subjects--

100 higher-education students from Delhi. These students were then tasked to answer the

researcher’s self-structured questionnaire, which comprised of questions answerable by the five

point Likert rating Scale, five being “Strongly Agree” and one being “Strongly Disagree”. The

collected information were analyzed and studied with the help of Statistical Package for Social

Science​ ​and​ ​Factor​ ​Analysis.

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E-Commerce​ ​Shopping​ ​Behaviors

In this modern day and age, e-commerce is one of the most pervasive forms of business

with more and more online stores being established by the minute (Baubonienė & Gulevičiūtė,

2015). Yet, there is a major problem behind this sector because there is a clear lack of research in

the said field and consumer decisions related to it. Without studying the area thoroughly, it will

be difficult for e-commerce to grow and progress; thus, it is essential to identify the different

characteristics and aspects of e-commerce. At the same time, it is also important to study the

factors that both encourage and discourage consumers from making their purchases on the web.

However, before analysing these factors of online shopping, it is essential to identify the specific

customer behavior of shopping online and his/her intention and decision to buying online

(Pavlou & Fygenson, 2006, as cited in Baubonienė & Gulevičiūtė, 2015). The study of

Baubonienė and Gulevičiūtė (2015) was carried out on quantitative research methodology. They

interviewed and asked 183 people, consisting of 44% men and 56% women, who shopped

online to answer a survey questionnaire. The survey questionnaire listed questions concerning

the gender, sex, age, and occupation of the interviewee. Then, the respondents were asked to

rank the important factors that affect their online shopping decisions, which included price, time

constraints, convenience, and differentiated products. Lastly, the Pearson Chi-square criteria of

compatibility, better known as the Pearson correlation coefficient, was used to interpret the

results.

Along with the increase in the number of online shoppers, a competitive online market is

established and in this cutthroat field, it is important to identify the factors affecting online

shopping. With this, specific identifications of online consumers have to be made, which include

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social, cultural, personal and psychological online characteristics (Smith & Rupp, 2003 as cited

in Hasslinger, Hodzic, & Opazo, 2007). For example, people of higher social classes have the

higher purchasing power online because they have the higher probability of having a computer

and greater access to the internet. Moreover, a person’s income and his/her age is part of the

consumer’s online characteristics, wherein supposedly, individuals with higher income and

younger ages have a more positive attitude towards e-commerce shopping. Lastly, the research

states possible psychological characteristics such as motivation, perception, personality, attitude,

and​ ​emotions​ ​that​ ​a​ ​customer​ ​may​ ​ask​ ​himself/herself​ ​before​ ​purchasing​ ​online.

In addition, according to Brengman, Geuenes, Weijters, Smith and Swinyard (2005, as

cited Hasslinger, Hodzic, & Opazo, 2007), the highly important factors which affect online

shopping are Price, Trust and Convenience. The factor involving price has two main attributes,

saving money and comparing price with competitors, while the factor related to trust has three

elements, perception of safety, trust in the internet retailer, and trust in the internet as retail

shopping. More so, in the convenience aspect, its main features are saving time, shopping at any

time, and exerting less effort. The study of Hasslinger, Hodzic, & Opazo (2007) used an

exploratory study for them to objectify the different factors that would affect the online

consumers. The researchers interviewed 226 students who would buy books through the internet.

The method employed for selecting the target population is non-probability or convenience

sampling. Each of them was tasked to fill up a questionnaire. In making the questionnaire, the

main variables were demographics, webographics, online book shopping patterns, attitude

towards online shopping, social characteristics, reference groups, and the identified factors:

Price,​ ​trust,​ ​and​ ​convenience.​ ​To​ ​interpret​ ​the​ ​final​ ​results,​ ​the​ ​Fishbein​ ​model​ ​was​ ​applied.

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Apparel​ ​Shopping​ ​in​ ​E-Commerce

The most popular category of e-commerce shopping is ​apparel ​with over 30% of the total

market share, and is expected to grow even further the following years. Despite this, only a few

studies have focused on researches in e-commerce shopping in the clothing industry. Therefore,

the study of Goldsmith & Flynn (2014) aims to fill this gap by examining how the concept of

shopping for clothes came to be. The concept of shopping for clothing has been around for more

than 100 years and numerous types of factors that are constantly examined have lead companies

to innovate their form of advertisements starting from simple catalogues and brochures to the use

of the internet and other devices. At the time when e-commerce was still in its early years, no

one ever expected the impact it would have caused to the entire industry. During its first few

years, majority of the customers really doubted entering this new type of market because many

of them thought it was too much big of a risk to indulge in shopping online. In addition, many

individuals still did not have access to the internet in those times (UCLA, 2001, as cited in

Goldsmith & Flynn 2014). However as time went by, more and more people (even the male

ones) started to embrace the new way of shopping. The research was conducted by Goldsmith &

Flynn (2014) wherein they used surveys that used a likert scale to gather their responses. First,

they had a total of 805 students from a US public university marketing class in which there were

378 men and 424 women with 3 missing gender response. Also, they made a 4-point scale

regarding their total household income. The content of the survey were mainly questioning the

respondents about how often do they buy clothes online and how many times they bought from

online stores. However, despite using multiple regression analysis, both scales showed no

significant​ ​relation​ ​between​ ​gender​ ​and​ ​income.

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 Another study, Napompech (2014), that focuses on online shopping for clothes. The said

researcher identifies a variety of factors that affects a consumer’s decision in buying clothes:

style, quality, brand, diversity, modernity and most importantly, price. Aside from the

aforementioned factors, Lee and Littrel (2005, as cited in Napompech, 2014) states that the ease

in ordering products, the company’s delivery system, visual apparel presentation, and availability

in the seller's’ stocks are all influential and vital to a customer’s attitude and intention towards

shopping. Napompech’s (2014) study developed a self-administered questionnaire which

consisted of three sections: demographic information about the participants, clothing purchase

behaviors, and the respondent’s opinion towards factors that drive their online clothing

purchases. 412 respondents were tasked to rate the importance of 35 factors on a Likert scale (5

as the most important and 1 as the least). In order to analyze data and reach a conclusion, the

research​ ​employed​ ​factor​ ​analysis.

Goldsmith & Flynn’s (2004) research states that as online e-commerce develops in

interest, E-commerce companies and their employees should study and understand how and what

media consumers use in purchasing different apparels. This study was initiated in order to

identify the physiological and demographic characteristics that lead customers to buy clothes

online. The researchers surveyed 805 people, who described their online shopping habits and

how involved they were in buying clothes, how creative clothing brands were in interacting with

their consumers buying online, and how much they spent in purchasing clothing apparel. The

results of their study show that being adventurous online and being a heavy catalog shopper had

the most impact in online clothing buying. These findings simply imply that their respondents

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shop online for apparel because they wanted to try out the new form of shopping through the

Internet,​ ​rather​ ​than​ ​because​ ​they​ ​really​ ​wanted​ ​to​ ​buy​ ​clothes.

Theoretical​ ​Framework

One of the most popular and relevant theories, proposed by Davis, Bagozzi, and

Warshaw in 1989, used to explain the factors affecting the online shopping hobbies is the

Technology Acceptance (TAM Model), which lists two main reasons as to how people react,

use,​ ​and​ ​accept​ ​new​ ​forms​ ​of​ ​technology:​ ​perceived​ ​ease​ ​of​ ​use​ ​and​ ​perceived​ ​usefulness.

Perceived ease of use refers to the degree to which a person thinks that using technology,

or in this case online shopping, will be free from effort (Bisdee, 2007; Yulihasri & Daud, 2011,

as cited in Jain, Goswami, & Bhutani 2014). For example with regards to online shopping,

consumers these days are in favor of website designs and layouts that are flexible as they can

easily select different sections without encountering problems. Next, perceived usefulness is the

customer’s perception that his/her efficiency and performance will increase by using new

technology. In the context of e-commerce, customers can buy products online without disturbing

their personal lives or jobs since they can order the product anywhere, giving them more time to

focus​ ​on​ ​their​ ​work​ ​and​ ​perform​ ​more​ ​efficiently.

Another theory that can be attributed to e-commerce shopping is the Theory of Perceived

Risk which has been studied by scholars to have two major components: probable losses and

feeling of unfavorable consequences. Since online shopping entails a person to purchase a

product or service without directly meeting the seller and visiting a physical store, a customer

may face possible negative outcomes (Kim, 2007, as cited in Jain, Goswami, & Bhutani 2014).

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More specifically, according to Li & Huang (2009), several types of perceived risk can come

about during e-commerce shopping such as financial risks (monetary loss), performance risks

(subpar performance of products/services), physical risk (safety problems), and convenience risk

(added​ ​inconveniences).

Last, the theory of perceived enjoyment reflects the happiness associated with using a

certain form of technology. In e-commerce, it may come in two forms: from the satisfaction of

the products purchased, as well as the feeling of fulfillment due to the unique shopping

experience brought upon by online shopping. Liao, Tsou, & Shu (2008) explains that perceived

enjoyment​ ​has​ ​a​ ​significant​ ​effect​ ​on​ ​both​ ​attitude​ ​and​ ​behavioral​ ​intentions​ ​of​ ​consumers.

In line with the aforementioned theories, Wan (2009, as cited in Bashir, 2013) argues that

there are three dimensions in the process of online purchasing. These three are human computer

interaction, customer concerns in online shopping, and consumer characteristics. The first one,

human computer interaction, is mainly attributed to the website interface, user’s easiness to learn

and navigate through the store, transaction processes and details, time consumption, and other

website-related characteristics. Next, customer concerns in online shopping (CCOS) pertains to

human behaviour that influence a customer’s decision. This comprises of the trust factor between

the buyer and the seller, safety and privacy of personal data, delivery assurances, etc. Last,

consumer characteristics focuses on personal traits, opinions, and experiences of individuals, as

well​ ​as​ ​technological​ ​awareness​ ​and​ ​literacy​ ​and​ ​comfort​ ​level​ ​in​ ​online​ ​shopping.

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Conceptual​ ​Framework

In the paper, the different factors (Perceived Ease of Use, Perceived Usefulness,

Perceived Risk, Perceived Enjoyment) from the different theories are identified as the four main

variables that can be associated with a customer’s decision to buy online. These four factors are

then analyzed as to which among them significantly affect the online shopping habits of selected

consumers in the clothing industry. Qualitative data in the form of consumer characteristics are

also collected by the researchers in order to learn about the customer’s personal experiences in

shopping online and to identify their opinions regarding the benefits and disadvantages that

e-commerce brings. These additional information are gathered to support the aforementioned

quantitative data. By identifying the perceived factors that affects online shopping, there can be

various courses of actions employed by online sellers and online stores so as to improve a

customer’s​ ​online​ ​shopping​ ​experience.

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Conceptual​ ​Paradigm

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 Chapter​ ​3

Research​ ​Methodology

In this chapter, a detailed overview on how the research process was carried out

specifying the research design, locale and sampling procedure and identifying the proper

instruments​ ​and​ ​data​ ​collection​ ​which​ ​were​ ​used​ ​to​ ​answer​ ​the​ ​research​ ​questions.

A.​ ​Research​ ​Design

In this study, the researchers used the survey descriptive research design since this type

of research design is most appropriate for gathering information about the research topic, which

aims to describe the behavior of online consumers, illustrate the factors that affect their

behaviours, and investigate on their opinions and perceptions regarding the e-commerce field.

According to Dudovskiy (2017), the main goal of this type of research design is to identify the

characteristics and behaviour of the sample population. The descriptive research, in the form of a

survey questionnaire, is convenient for the researchers to use since the feedbacks of the online

consumers are purely based on their personal experiences (​Kowalczyk, n.d.). ​The survey research

design is also effective, cheap, and easy to administer because it can be conducted using short

paper-and-pencil feedback form, an intensive interview or even through the internet. For this

study, the researchers chose to use the latter, making use of a Google Forms questionnaire as

their medium for data gathering. The survey questionnaires were handed out through social

media at the 18th of November 2017 and a one week time frame was given to the respondents to

answer​ ​the​ ​survey.

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B.​ ​Research​ ​Locale

The proponents of the research paper prepared and conducted most of their study in Saint

Jude Catholic School, located in the district of Manila, Philippines. Saint Jude Catholic School is

a school that embodies the Filipino-Chinese community of the future. The school was

co-founded by two SVD priests back in July 1963. Up until now, Saint Jude Catholic School is

still​ ​considered​ ​to​ ​be​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​most​ ​prestigious​ ​school​ ​in​ ​Manila.

The respondents, who were reached in the form of an online survey within a span of one

week, were mostly parents and students from Saint Jude Catholic School; all of which were

active in the e-commerce shopping community. The researchers decided to survey people they

already​ ​knew​ ​so​ ​that​ ​it​ ​would​ ​be​ ​convenient​ ​and​ ​easy​ ​to​ ​get​ ​their​ ​responses.

C.​ ​Sampling​ ​Procedure

In this study, the researchers used purposive sampling method. ​According to Crossman

(2017), “purposive sample is a non-probability sample that is selected based on characteristics of

a population and the objective of the study. Purposive sampling is also known as judgmental,

selective, or subjective sampling.” Purposive sampling is the perfect fit for the study because the

respondents must be e-commerce shoppers, and with purposive sampling, these individuals can

be selected properly. Around 100 respondents were tasked to answer online questionnaires for

the convenience of both parties involved in the given circumstance. ​Convenience sampling was

employed alongside purposive sampling. According to ​Dudovskiy (2017), Convenience

sampling is a method of sampling that relies on specific members of the population who can

easily be contacted and reached by the researchers to extract information from them. Because of

21
the very short time frame, only the circle of known contacts was approached by the researchers

for​ ​their​ ​convenience.

D.​ ​Instruments

In this situation, since every consumer would have a different approach regarding the said

topic, conducting a survey must be utilized so as to perfectly capture the answers of the

respondents. The survey is in the form of a questionnaire, with some parts gathering qualitative

and quantitative data, so that researchers can easily gather and compile all the information

needed to achieve the objectives. More specifically, the data instrument was based on the

research journal, Consumer Behaviour towards Online Shopping: An Empirical Study from

Delhi, by Ms. Dipit Jain, Ms. Sonia Goswami and Ms. Shipra Bhutani since their survey

questionnaire has already been validated and guaranteed reliable through factor analysis. The

researchers have also contacted the journal’s authors and asked for their permission to use the

survey​ ​questionnaire​ ​in​ ​their​ ​journal​ ​as​ ​a​ ​reference.

The final questionnaire is divided into two main parts: the first one focusing on questions

answerable by qualitative information (such as frequency of shopping, advantages and

disadvantages of online shopping, to name a few) and the second section comprising of questions

measuring​ ​factors​ ​that​ ​may​ ​affect​ ​the​ ​online​ ​apparel​ ​shopping​ ​habits​ ​of​ ​different​ ​consumers.

22
E.​ ​Data​ ​Analysis

For the quantitative portion of the survey, a Likert Scale was utilized-- 4 being strongly

agree, 3 being agree, 2 being disagree, and 1 being strongly disagree. Afterwards, the data was

analyzed by getting the statistical mean and standard deviation of the items per section of the

four categories under the TAM (technology acceptance model) theory. The mean was obtained to

have a generalization on the population from the sample obtained while the standard deviation

was used to identify how spread out the answers were in order to show whether most respondents

agreed​ ​with​ ​each​ ​other​ ​or​ ​not.

Extent​ ​of​ ​Influence​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Perceived​ ​Factors​ ​Affecting​ ​Online​ ​Shopping​ ​Habits​ ​of​ ​the
Respondents

3.26-4.00 To​ ​a​ ​Great​ ​Extent

2.51-3.25 To​ ​Some​ ​Extent

1.76-2.50 To​ ​a​ ​little​ ​Extent

1.00-​ ​1.75 No​ ​Extent​ ​At​ ​All

As for the qualitative portion of the survey, the most frequent answers were compiled and

studied by the researchers to answer the other research questions and to develop

recommendations​ ​that​ ​can​ ​be​ ​made​ ​in​ ​order​ ​to​ ​improve​ ​a​ ​customer’s​ ​online​ ​shopping​ ​experience.

23
 CHAPTER​ ​4

Data​ ​Results​ ​and​ ​Discussion

This chapter presents relevant data and information gathered from the survey

questionnaires that have been carefully tabulated and thoroughly analyzed by the researchers

themselves​ ​in​ ​order​ ​to​ ​answer​ ​each​ ​of​ ​their​ ​research​ ​questions.

The​ ​table​ ​below​ ​summarizes​ ​the​ ​demographic​ ​profile​ ​of​ ​the​ ​respondents.

Table​ ​A.​ ​Demographic​ ​Profile​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Respondents

F(N=100) %

GENDER

Male 18 18%
Female 82 82%
Total 100 100%
AGE

19​ ​and​ ​Below 48 48%

20​ ​-​ ​39 16 16%
40​ ​-​ ​60 36 36%
Total 100 100%
OCCUPATION

High​ ​School​ ​Student 49 49%

College​ ​Student 8 8%
Professional 34 34%
Others 9 9%

24
 Total 100 100%

The table above summarizes the demographic characteristics of the sample population

considered for the study. The frequency distribution shows that 82% of the respondents are

female while 18% are male. Majority of the respondents are 19 and younger (48%) and aged

40-60 (36%), while 16% is from the age group 20-39. More than half of the respondents (57%)

are​ ​still​ ​students​ ​and​ ​34%​ ​are​ ​professionals;​ ​the​ ​rest​ ​are​ ​housewives.

Research​ ​Question​ ​1:​ ​To​ ​what​ ​extent​ ​do​ ​selected​ ​customers​ ​engage​ ​in​ ​e-commerce​ ​shopping​ ​of

clothing?

The​ ​table​ ​below​ ​summarizes​ ​how​ ​often​ ​the​ ​respondents​ ​shop​ ​for​ ​clothes.

Table​ ​1.1​ ​Frequency​ ​of​ ​Clothing​ ​Consumption​ ​Per​ ​Month

F(N=100) %

Rarely​ ​(1) 3 3%
Sometimes​​ ​(2) 35 35%
Often​ ​(3) 45 45%
Always​ ​(4) 17 17%
Total: 100 100%

As evident in the table, only 3% of the sample population shop for clothes rarely, which

means that majority of the respondents shop frequently for clothes. More specifically, 45% of the

25
respondents say that they purchase their clothing often and 17% of them say always shop while

35%​ ​purchase​ ​their​ ​clothes​ ​occasionally.

The​ ​table​ ​below​ ​summarizes​ ​how​ ​often​ ​the​ ​respondents​ ​shop​ ​for​ ​clothes​ ​online.

Table​ ​1.2​ ​Frequency​ ​of​ ​Buying​ ​Clothes​ ​Online

F(N=100) %

Rarely​ ​(1) 28 28%

Sometimes​​ ​(2) 42 42%
Often​ ​(3) 27 27%
Always​ ​(4) 3 3%
Total 100 100%

As the data above shows, more than half of the respondents (70%) do not engage in

online shopping for clothes that much. Only 3% of the remaining (30%) answered that they

always​ ​buy​ ​their​ ​clothes​ ​online.

The table below summarizes the answers of the respondents whether they would rather shop online or
traditionally.

Table​ ​1.3​ ​Preferred​ ​Mode​ ​of​ ​Clothing​ ​Consumption

F(N=100) %

Online 30 30%
Traditionally 70 70%
Total 100 100%

26
 Based on the table above, 70% of the respondents said that they would rather shop the

traditional​ ​way​ ​than​ ​shop​ ​online.

As shown in the tables, majority of the respondents say that they shop for clothes “often”

and “always”. However, when asked how often they shopped online, many of them answered

“rarely” and “sometimes”, which means many of the respondents have not yet completely

embraced this modern way of shopping. That is why when given an option on which form of

shopping (online or traditional) they prefered, more respondents still answered that they would

rather​ ​shop​ ​the​ ​traditional​ ​way​ ​instead​ ​of​ ​going​ ​online.

Research Question 2: To what extent do the perceived factors influence the online shopping

habits​ ​of​ ​selected​ ​customers​ ​in​ ​the​ ​clothing​ ​industry?

The​ ​table​ ​below​ ​summarizes​ ​the​ ​extent​ ​of​ ​influence​ ​of​ ​the​ ​“perceived​ ​ease​ ​of​ ​use”​ ​factor​ ​on​ ​the​ ​online
shopping​ ​habits​ ​of​ ​the​ ​respondents.

Table​ ​2.1​ ​Perceived​ ​Ease​ ​of​ ​Use

Descriptive
Mean Standard Interpretation
Deviation
1.​ ​Learning​ ​how​ ​to​ ​operate​ ​the 3.43 0.64 To​ ​a​ ​Great
internet​ ​to​ ​buy​ ​clothing​ ​would Extent
be​ ​easy​ ​for​ ​me.

2.​ ​Using​ ​the​ ​internet​ ​as​ ​a 3.21 0.69 To​ ​Some​ ​Extent
medium​ ​to​ ​buy​ ​clothing​ ​would
be​ ​flexible​ ​to​ ​interact​ ​with​ ​me.

3.​ ​My​ ​interaction​ ​with​ ​the 3.17 0.68 To​ ​Some​ ​Extent
internet​ ​to​ ​buy​ ​clothing​ ​will​ ​be
clear​ ​and

27
 understandable.(Consumer
friendly)

4.​ ​The​ ​internet​ ​would​ ​be​ ​easy​ ​to 3.38 0.63 To​ ​a​ ​Great
use​ ​to​ ​do​ ​my​ ​shopping. Extent
5.​ ​It​ ​would​ ​be​ ​easy​ ​for​ ​me​ ​to 3.29 0.68 To​ ​a​ ​Great
become​ ​skillful​ ​in​ ​using​ ​the Extent
internet​ ​to​ ​buy​ ​clothing.

6.​ ​Online​ ​ordering​ ​layout​ ​is​ ​easy 3.37 0.61 To​ ​a​ ​Great
and​ ​convenient. Extent
7.​ ​Online​ ​ordering​ ​information 3.26 0.72 To​ ​a​ ​Great
is​ ​clear,​ ​precise,​ ​and​ ​easy​ ​to Extent
understand.

Mean​ ​(​Perceived​ ​Ease​ ​of​ ​Use) 3.30 To​ ​a​ ​Great

Extent

The​ ​table​ ​below​ ​summarizes​ ​the​ ​extent​ ​of​ ​influence​ ​of​ ​the​ ​“perceived​ ​usefulness”​ ​factor​ ​on​ ​the​ ​online
shopping​ ​habits​ ​of​ ​the​ ​respondents.
Table​ ​2.2​ ​Perceived​ ​Usefulness
Descriptive
Mean Standard Interpretation
Deviation
1.​ ​ ​The​ ​internet​ ​would​ ​improve 3.15 0.73 To​ ​Some​ ​Extent
my​ ​performance​ ​(in​ ​school​ ​or​ ​at
work),​ ​while​ ​searching​ ​for​ ​and
purchasing​ ​clothing.

2.​ ​The​ ​internet​ ​makes​ ​it​ ​easier 3.39 0.62 To​ ​a​ ​Great
to​ ​search​ ​for​ ​and​ ​purchase Extent
clothing.

3.​ ​The​ ​internet​ ​will​ ​probably 3.26 0.71 To​ ​a​ ​Great
enhance​ ​my​ ​effectiveness​ ​(in Extent

28
 school​ ​or​ ​at​ ​work)​ ​in​ ​searching
and​ ​purchasing​ ​clothing.

4.​ ​Using​ ​the​ ​internet​ ​in 3.37 0.62 To​ ​a​ ​Great
purchasing​ ​clothes​ ​would​ ​allow Extent
me​ ​to​ ​do​ ​my​ ​shopping​ ​more
quickly.

5.​ ​The​ ​internet​ ​will​ ​increase​ ​my 3.21 0.74 To​ ​Some​ ​Extent
productivity​ ​(in​ ​school​ ​or​ ​at
work)​ ​while​ ​searching​ ​for​ ​and
purchasing​ ​clothing.

Mean​ ​(​Perceived​ ​Usefulness) 3.28 To​ ​a​ ​Great

Extent

The​ ​table​ ​below​ ​summarizes​ ​the​ ​extent​ ​of​ ​influence​ ​of​ ​the​ ​“perceived​ ​enjoyment”​ ​factor​ ​on​ ​the​ ​online
shopping​ ​habits​ ​of​ ​the​ ​respondents.
Table​ ​2.3​ ​Perceived​ ​Enjoyment
Descriptive
Mean Standard Interpretation
Deviation
1.​ ​I​ ​shall​ ​have​ ​fun​ ​while 3.15 0.72 To​ ​Some​ ​Extent
purchasing​ ​clothing​ ​over​ ​the
internet

2.​ ​Using​ ​the​ ​internet​ ​to 3.02 0.75 To​ ​Some​ ​Extent
purchase​ ​clothing​ ​would
provide​ ​me​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​enjoyment.

3.​ ​ ​I​ ​think​ ​that​ ​purchasing 3.08 0.68 To​ ​Some​ ​Extent
clothing​ ​ ​from​ ​the​ ​internet​ ​shall
be​ ​interesting.

4.​ ​Using​ ​the​ ​internet​ ​to 2.94 0.76 To​ ​Some​ ​Extent
purchase​ ​clothing​ ​would
provide​ ​me​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​excitement.

29
 5.​ ​I​ ​enjoy​ ​surfing​ ​the​ ​net​ ​for​ ​the 3.09 0.71 To​ ​Some​ ​Extent
purpose​ ​of​ ​purchasing​ ​clothing
and​ ​receiving​ ​information.

Mean​ ​(​Perceived​ ​Enjoyment) 3.06 To​ ​Some​ ​Extent

The​ ​table​ ​below​ ​summarizes​ ​the​ ​extent​ ​of​ ​influence​ ​of​ ​the​ ​“perceived​ ​risk”​ ​factor​ ​on​ ​the​ ​online​ ​shopping
habits​ ​of​ ​the​ ​respondents.
Table​ ​2.4​ ​Perceived​ ​Risk
Descriptive
Mean Standard Interpretation
Deviation
1.​ ​The​ ​quality​ ​of​ ​the​ ​clothing 3.47 0.66 To​ ​a​ ​Great​ ​Extent
purchased​ ​may​ ​not​ ​be
guaranteed​ ​as​ ​good​ ​as​ ​ordered.

2.​ ​There​ ​are​ ​chances​ ​of​ ​being 3.36 0.72 To​ ​a​ ​Great​ ​Extent
cheated.

3.​ ​There​ ​is​ ​a​ ​risk​ ​of​ ​receiving 3.43 0.62 To​ ​a​ ​Great​ ​Extent
the​ ​clothing​ ​late.

4.​ ​Home​ ​delivery​ ​by​ ​a​ ​stranger 3.15 0.86 To​ ​Some​ ​Extent
might​ ​not​ ​be​ ​safe.

5.​ ​I​ ​feel​ ​that​ ​my​ ​credit​ ​card 3.19 0.83 To​ ​Some​ ​Extent
details​ ​may​ ​be​ ​misused​ ​if​ ​I​ ​shop
online.

6.​ ​I​ ​might​ ​not​ ​get​ ​what​ ​I 3.25 0.74 To​ ​Some​ ​Extent
ordered​ ​through​ ​online
shopping.

7.​ ​Cash​ ​on​ ​delivery​ ​option 3.23 0.78 To​ ​Some​ ​Extent
might​ ​not​ ​be​ ​available.

8.​ ​The​ ​product​ ​is​ ​non-returnable 3.17 0.90 To​ ​Some​ ​Extent
even​ ​if

30
 I​ ​am​ ​not​ ​fully​ ​satisfied​ ​and​ ​even
if​ ​it​ ​is
available,​ ​it​ ​is​ ​not​ ​convenient.

9.​ ​It’s​ ​not​ ​easy​ ​to​ ​cancel​ ​orders 3.11 0.85 To​ ​Some​ ​Extent
when​ ​I​ ​shop​ ​online.

Mean​ ​(​Perceived​ ​Risk) 3.26 To​ ​a​ ​Great​ ​Extent

According to the data gathered, Perceived Ease of Use, Perceived Usefulness, Perceived

Enjoyment, and Perceived Risk are factors that considerably affect the online shopping habits of

customers. However, of these four factors, Perceived Ease of Use, which is the extent to which

online shopping would be free from effort and convenient for the user, is the biggest factor that

affects one’s decision in shopping online with a mean of 3.30. Next is Perceived Usefulness,

which is the extent to which shopping online would enhance productivity and save time for the

user, with a mean of 3.28; this also affects a customer’s behaviour to a great extent. Third is

Perceived Risk with 3.26, which means it also significantly affects a customer’s decision to buy

apparel online. This is the factor to which a person assumes that shopping online will bring him

harm-- be it physically, mentally, socially, or personally. Far behind is Perceived Enjoyment,

which is the extent to which online shopping brings joy or thrill to its user, with 3.06. The low

standard deviation (near zero) of all the items further proves that most of the respondents think

alike​ ​and​ ​their​ ​answers​ ​are​ ​in​ ​line​ ​with​ ​each​ ​other.

31
Research Question 3: What benefits and challenges do customers enjoy or face when they

engage​ ​in​ ​e-commerce​ ​shopping​ ​of​ ​clothing?

The emergence of e-commerce in the market has immensely helped the lives of many

with the many benefits this form of technology brings. According to the results of the survey,

majority of the respondents argue that the main benefit of online shopping is the convenience it

brings to its users. It gives people a chance to freely transact products from the comfort of their

homes without putting much effort and time into it. In effect, online shoppers also improve their

work efficiency and productivity because instead of visiting malls just to buy their needs, they

can shop through their mobile phones and other devices from their houses or work offices.

Moreover, the survey results show that the style/color/brand filters users can set online is a big

benefit to the consumer because makes it much easier for him/her to accurately find what he/she

wants. Unlike in malls or most retailers, the items are unorganized and it would require the

shopper to wander around the area just to find the products he/she wants. Also, online shopping

websites offers unlimited access to different brands, giving the consumers a wide variety of

choices to opt for, and since all these brands are all in one place, it is trouble-free to compare

across products and their prices, which cannot be done easily if a person shops the traditional

way. Once ordered, the customer would then just wait for his/her purchase to be delivered at

his/her doorstep hassle-free. Last, the respondents believe that by shopping online, they can save

a lot of money since most of the time, there are exclusive discounts, vouchers and promos for the

products​ ​sold​ ​online​ ​and​ ​thus,​ ​making​ ​the​ ​price​ ​cheaper​ ​and​ ​more​ ​appealing​ ​to​ ​the​ ​eyes​ ​of​ ​many.

32
 Regardless of the numerous benefits that online shopping offers, there are also various

challenges that consumers face when shopping online. For example, many of the respondents

feel that the biggest challenge they may face with e-commerce is the unreliable sellers can easily

put up faulty, false, defective or low quality clothing up for sale in websites. Aside from this, the

consumers cannot really see or fit the clothing they want to buy; they only see the pictures

through their devices, and thus, there is also a big risk of scammers fooling the customers online.

In line with this, the respondents think that security is a big issue as well since personal

information, credit card details, and the like are given to online sellers, and if something goes

wrong, they are the one greatly affected and harmed. If such acts are done, many consumers will

be more hesitant in doing another transaction online. Although delivery is very convenient for

the some respondents, others believe that the delivery time given is not accurate and their orders

would often arrive a little bit later than the given delivery time. In addition, for some

respondents, it is very bothersome to go through a very long process just to replace the clothes

they bought when returning products due to wrong size or defects, and once the seller agrees to

replace the product, there will be another long wait just to receive the replacement. If worst

comes to worst and there is miscommunication, the goods may not even be delivered at all. Other

respondents even argue that at times there were hidden charges imposed on their purchase,

making​ ​it​ ​very​ ​expensive​ ​and​ ​so​ ​they​ ​did​ ​not​ ​want​ ​to​ ​buy​ ​from​ ​that​ ​seller​ ​again.

33
Research Question 4: What input can be made to improve a customer’s online shopping

experience?

Because up to this very moment, e-commerce is still in the early stages of development,

there are still a lot of points to improve on so as to enhance a customer’s online shopping

experience and to entice the traditional customers into online shopping. As evident in the results

of the survey, people still prefer traditional shopping than online shopping despite the many

benefits and advantages e-commerce brings. The biggest factor that affects a customer’s online

shopping habits is Perceived Ease of Use, which comprises of the simplicity, flexibility, and

comprehensibility of an online store. Thus, an online store’s website, ordering layout, and

transaction scheme must always be easy, precise, and clear to use in order to maintain existing

customers and attract customers to shop more. Moreover, according to the survey, the main flaws

of e-commerce shopping are reliability and security issues. Therefore, the researchers propose

that the best solution to solve this problem is by giving fines and charges to the sellers if a

customer complains about receiving fake or subpar quality products. Since the seller must also

input his credit card data to make transactions, this will be easy to execute. As for the security

problems, online stores must really invest in strengthening their systems and firewall in order to

guarantee that hackers cannot penetrate the website. Last, in order to alleviate the problem of late

delivery, whenever it is delayed, a customer will receive incentives such as coupons or additional

credit​ ​for​ ​their​ ​next​ ​purchase.

34
 CHAPTER​ ​5

SUMMARY,​ ​CONCLUSIONS​ ​AND​ ​RECOMMENDATIONS

This chapter contains the summary, conclusion, and recommendations for the data

gathered from the previous chapter. As the research paper concludes, recommendations for the

limitations of the current study are stated in order to help the other researchers improve and

enrich​ ​their​ ​studies​ ​in​ ​the​ ​future.

A.​ ​Summary

In a nutshell, the study employed a descriptive survey research design and used purposive

sampling in gathering both quantitative and qualitative data from 100 e-commerce shoppers; the

data obtained from the respondents served as the foundation of the research. The quantitative

portion of the survey utilized a Likert scale that contained a 1-4 scoring system with 1 being the

lowest and 4 being the highest. The collected data, then, underwent the process of data analysis

in which the researchers computed for the mean and the standard deviation of all the responses

so as to answer the research questions. On top of that, several qualitative questions were also

asked in order to establish a more coherent and complete thought regarding the topic of

e-commerce. These two combined, became the basis for the development of the study’s

recommendation​ ​on​ ​the​ ​improvement​ ​of​ ​the​ ​customer’s​ ​online​ ​shopping​ ​experience.

35
B.​ ​Conclusion

Research​ ​Question​ ​1:

The results of the survey show that although all the respondents shop online, they still

shop traditionally more often than the times they shop online and if they were to choose between

shopping online or traditionally, they still would choose traditional shopping over e-commerce

shopping.

Research​ ​Question​ ​2​ ​and​ ​3:

Most of the respondents believed that three factors (Perceived Ease of Use, Perceived

Usefulness, and Perceived Risk) out of the four variables affected their online shopping decisions

to a great extent. Perceived Ease of Use indicates how comfortable the customer is in using the

online website, which encompasses how easy it is to transact through a certain store or how easy

it is to navigate through its website, while Perceived Usefulness encompasses how the internet

can improve a person’s productivity. This is supported by the next portion of the survey wherein

most of the respondents believed that the main benefit of shopping online is the convenience of

being able to shop through the internet and having everything at the palm of your hands at a click

of a button. Because they no longer needed to go to the mall or outside of their

homes/workplaces to buy clothes, many of the respondents thought that shopping through the

internet increases their productivity (both at home and at work). On the other hand, scammers

and unreliable sellers were considered the major problems as to why the respondents did not

want to buy clothing through online shopping. This is in line with ideologies of Perceived Risk,

36
one of the four variables in the survey, which was found to have a great impact on the customer’s

decision​ ​to​ ​purchase​ ​online​ ​as​ ​well.

Research​ ​Question​ ​4:

Despite the fast development of technology that has helped bring shopping to another

level, e-commerce still has its flaws and people cannot expect it to be perfect. There are still lots

of points to monitor and improve on in order for traditional customers to embrace e-commerce

such as maintaining a simple yet enticing website layout, improving regulations towards

unreliable​ ​sellers/scammers,​ ​and​ ​implementing​ ​incentives​ ​for​ ​delayed​ ​delivery​ ​systems.

C.​ ​Recommendation

As all studies have their flaws, this study was not in any way perfect and the researchers

would like to provide points to improve on for future researchers. It can be clearly seen in the

demographics of the respondents that most of them were female consumers. On succeeding

studies, the researchers suggest that both sexes be equally represented. In addition, the

researchers think that by increasing the number of respondents, more accurate and reliable data

(by increasing the sample size, the probability of error decreases) will be obtained. Also, since

the respondents were mostly obtained from one city and they all came from the researchers’

circle of connections, a good way to improve this research is reaching other places and not

focusing only on one place. For a change, other researchers can employ random sampling as

well. Since the TAM (technology acceptance model) theory has had numerous revisions already

37
such as the TAM 2 and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, future studies can

focus​ ​on​ ​them​ ​instead.

38
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Appendix

Letter​ ​of​ ​Permission​ ​to​ ​Use​ ​Questionnaire

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Original​ ​Questionnaire​ ​with​ ​Factor​ ​Analysis

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Google​ ​Forms​ ​Questionnaire

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