The Factors that Affect Online Buying Decisions Essay

The Factors that Affect Online Buying Decisions - Essay Example It is generally expected that with the Internet, national and geographical boundaries should become irrelevant when engaging in business exchanges; consequently, global expansion on the Internet could promise greater customer reach and profits. However, although the adoption rate of Internet shopping is relatively high in the West, it is still generally unpopular in the East (Lee et al., 2004, 545). The above assumptions which present the current conditions regarding the use and the evaluation of an Internet site from a consumers’ perspective, although completed regarding the issues targeted they can, however, be been criticised as limited to the geographical aspect of the Internet usage. The current paper examines the online activity from the aspect of the transactions made, mostly the online shopping. Under these terms, the factors that affect the relevant decision are being examined in order to provide a specific and complete view on the issue. The use of research tools, su ch as questionnaires, has been evaluated as necessary in order to gather empirical information regarding the specific subject. Moreover, the data revealed are being analyzed and compared between them but also with the views of the literature, so that the formulation of a integrate result to be achieved at the highest possible level. According to a British Computer Society research (Kavanagh, 2005), online shoppers are starting to desert the High Street; however, the same survey also shows that many people are being excluded from electronic services. According to the above survey (which was conducted by interviewing a representative sample of 2,113 people aged over 15) about 35% of the people surveyed shop online — and nearly one-fifth of these now choose to shop online rather than visit the High Street; in addition, although 46% still prefer the High Street, 36% have no preference, again suggesting wide acceptance of online shopping.