ATTITUDE TOWARDS BUYING ONLINE IN THOOTHUKUDI DISTRICT OF TAMILNADU

Abstract

As the internet has become necessary for more people, online shopping has become more popular. Many people prefer online shopping because it is simple and available at any time, and it provides a diverse range of products and a variety of discounts and bargains. The modern age is all about finding out what people think regarding online commerce. The study examines how various elements influence respondents' online shopping habits, which could be one of the most significant findings in e-commerce and marketing. The t-value calculated for a preference for online purchasing is 0.554 with a p-value of 0.401 in our study. This shows that the preference for online shopping is not statistically significant at the 0.05 level, which means that the preference of male and female respondents is the same. For example, at a 0.01 significance level, the correlation between internet use and satisfaction in online purchasing is 0.401, 0.697, 0.455, 0.631/0.631, and 0.492 for price, availability, quality, and service. As a result, enthusiastic individuals about online shopping also report feeling satisfied. Online purchasing attitudes relate to socioeconomic characteristics such as age, sex, marital status, and family income per month at a P-value of 5% or lower in the study. A negative result was obtained by ruling out the null hypothesis for these variables. The nature of the family, the size of the family, and the respondents' educational attainment have no significant impact on their attitudes on internet purchasing. The null hypothesis has been accepted for these variables. Our research, therefore, primarily examined internet shoppers' perceptions. Online retailers in Thoothukudi District will benefit from our findings because they will be able to identify variables that encourage customers to shop online, which will help them develop more effective methods for serving them.

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Journal of Xi’an Shiyou University, Natural Science Edition ISSN : 1673-064X
http://xisdxjxsu.asia VOLUME 18 ISSUE 01 450-460
ATTITUDE TOWARDS BUYING ONLINE IN THOOTHUKUDI DISTRICT OF
TAMILNADU
X. JUDE CHRISTO CEDRIC
Ph.D Research Scholar, V.O. Chidambaram College, Thoothukudi– 628 008
Affiliated to Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Abishekapatti, Tirunelveli – 627012, Tamil
Nadu, India.
Abstract
As the internet has become necessary for more people, online shopping has become more popular.
Many people prefer online shopping because it is simple and available at any time, and it provides
a diverse range of products and a variety of discounts and bargains. The modern age is all about
finding out what people think regarding online commerce. The study examines how various
elements influence respondents' online shopping habits, which could be one of the most significant
findings in e-commerce and marketing. The t-value calculated for a preference for online
purchasing is 0.554 with a p-value of 0.401 in our study. This shows that the preference for online
shopping is not statistically significant at the 0.05 level, which means that the preference of male
and female respondents is the same. For example, at a 0.01 significance level, the correlation
between internet use and satisfaction in online purchasing is 0.401, 0.697, 0.455, 0.631/0.631, and
0.492 for price, availability, quality, and service. As a result, enthusiastic individuals about online
shopping also report feeling satisfied. Online purchasing attitudes relate to socio-economic
characteristics such as age, sex, marital status, and family income per month at a P-value of 5% or
lower in the study. A negative result was obtained by ruling out the null hypothesis for these
variables. The nature of the family, the size of the family, and the respondents' educational
attainment have no significant impact on their attitudes on internet purchasing. The null hypothesis
has been accepted for these variables. Our research, therefore, primarily examined internet
shoppers' perceptions. Online retailers in Thoothukudi District will benefit from our findings
because they will be able to identify variables that encourage customers to shop online, which will
help them develop more effective methods for serving them.
Keywords: online shopping, e-commerce, electronic networks, consumer behaviour, payment
security.

Journal of Xi’an Shiyou University, Natural Science Edition ISSN : 1673-064X
http://xisdxjxsu.asia VOLUME 18 ISSUE 01 450-460
INTRODUCTION
Customers prefer to shop online, according to the results of the survey. When it comes to e-
shopping, demand changes constantly. Online business operators face a major issue in managing
their inventories. Electronic networks like the internet to purchase, sell, transfer, or exchange
goods, services, and information is known as electronic commerce or e-commerce (Turban et al.,
2015).
Online retailers may take advantage of the lower pricing and vast choice of products they can
provide to potential customers (Maleki & Pasha, 2012). Buying online is more convenient and
timesaving than shopping in a brick-and-mortar store (Chang, 2003). Buyers who purchase things
online do not have the opportunity to personally try or operate the product to learn how it functions
(Gupta, Bansal & Bansal, 2013).
Both internal and external influences influence the primary objective of e-commerce, and online
buying behaviour plays a vital part in accomplishing that goal. Research on consumer behaviour,
particularly in the marketing industry, has become a major topic of numerous studies (Veronika,
2013). Customers' mental state is their "online buying attitude" (Li and Zhang, 2002). This article
examines consumer perceptions of online buying, determines whether respondents have an
optimistic or pessimistic view of the medium, and examines how consumers approach online
purchasing.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The study has the following objectives
1. To study the socio-economic outline of the online shopping respondents.
2. To find out the motivation to buy in online shopping
3. To know the preference of choosing online shopping
4. To understand the attitude towards online shopping and
5. To analyse the internet usage and satisfaction of online buying.
METHODOLOGY
The study was confined to the Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu. The primary data have been
collected from 140 sample respondents through a simple random sampling method. The personal
interview method was conducted with a pre-tested schedule. The primary data was collected about
the year 2019-20. Secondary data was collected from research reports, journals, libraries,
magazines, books, newspapers, the internet, and various institutions. The data to be collected from

Journal of Xi’an Shiyou University, Natural Science Edition ISSN : 1673-064X
http://xisdxjxsu.asia VOLUME 18 ISSUE 01 450-460
primary and secondary sources is to be analysed with the help of some statistical tools like average,
percentages, standard deviation, t test, correlation, chi-square test etc.
LITERATURE REVIEW
It is important to consider age, gender, income, and other demographics. In France, Diallo,
Chandon, Cliquet, and Philippe (2013) investigated the behaviour of store brand respondents.
Gong, Stump, and Maddox investigated what influences Chinese and Malaysian online shoppers
(2013).
There was an investigation of the elements that influence Thais' online purchasing habits by Orapin
in 2009. Peng, Wang, and Cai (2008) studied students' online buying habits, which was carried out
in China.
Several distinct aspects influence the pre-purchase information search, including how online
consumers use various information sources. Akalamkam and Mitra (2017) focused on these
factors. Rahman et al. (2018) examined online shopping habits in Bangladesh.
Gurleen Kanwal (2012) analyses the various motives for the adoption and non-adoption of online
buying in three regions of Punjab. Pratiksinh Vaghela (2014) analyse the online shopping
experience and the barriers like the inability to verify products personally and online payment
security in customers. Soonyong Bae Taesik Lee (2011) investigated and found that the purchase
intention is far stronger for females than males. Kanokwan atchariyachanvanich (2006) analysed
and identified many factors, including respondent's loyalty, satisfaction, etc.
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
TABLE 1
SEX-WISE CLASSIFICATION OF THE RESPONDENTS
Sl.
No.
Sex
No. of
Respondents
Percentage
1.
Male
108
77.14
2.
Female
32
22.86
Total
140
100.00
Source: Primary data.
It could be detected from Table 1 that out of the total respondents, 77.14 per cent are
male, whereas the remaining 22.86 per cent are females.
TABLE 2
AGE-WISE CLASSIFICATION OF THE RESPONDENTS
Sl.
No.
Age
No. of
Respondents
Percentage
1.
Below 30
24
17.14
2.
31 – 40
47
33.57

Journal of Xi’an Shiyou University, Natural Science Edition ISSN : 1673-064X
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3.
41 – 50
52
37.14
4.
Above 51 years
17
12.15
Total
140
100.00
Source: Primary data.
Table 2 shows that the respondents' most crucial age categories are 41-50 years old and
31-40 years old. They constitute 37.14 and 33.57 per cent of the total, respectively. It is
followed by below30 years and above 51 years which constitute 17.14 per cent and 12.15 per
cent, respectively. It is concluded that most of the respondents fall under the age group of
below 41-50 years in the study area. The mean age of match workers worked out to be 39.93
years.
TABLE 3
MARITAL STATUS OF RESPONDENTS
Sl. No.
Marital Status
No. of Respondents
Percentage
1.
Un married
17
12.14
2.
Married
123
87.86
Total
140
100.00
Source: Primary data.
It could be obvious from Table 3 that most respondents are married. They constitute
87.86 per cent of the total. It was followed by unmarried, which constituted 12.14 per cent.
TABLE 4
LEVEL OF EDUCATION OF THE RESPONDENTS
Sl. No.
Level of Education
No. of
Respondents
Percentage
1.
Primary
16
11.43
2.
Secondary
35
25.00
3.
Higher Secondary
41
29.28
4.
Collegiate
48
34.29
Total
140
100.00
Source: Primary data.
Table 4 illustrates the level of education among the respondents. The number of
respondents with primary, secondary school, higher secondary, and collegiate education constitute
11.43, 25.00 per cent, 29.28 and 34.29 per cent to the total, respectively. It is concluded that most
of the respondents have collegiate education in the study area.
TABLE 5
NATURE OF FAMILY OF THE RESPONDENTS
Sl. No.
Nature of Family
No. of Respondents
Percentage
1.
Nuclear Family
109
77.86
2.
Joint Family
31
22.14
Total
140
100.00
Source: Primary data.

Journal of Xi’an Shiyou University, Natural Science Edition ISSN : 1673-064X
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A maximum of 77.86 percent of all respondents belong to the nuclear family system, whereas
only 22.14 percent belong to the joint family system (Table 5). In the Thoothukudi district,
most respondents have a nuclear family.
TABLE 6
FAMILY SIZE OF THE RESPONDENTS
Sl. No.
Family Size
Number of Respondents
Percentage
1.
Less than 3
66
47.14
2.
4-5
34
24.29
3.
5-6
21
15.00
4.
Above 6
19
13.57
Total
140
100.00
Source: Primary data.
It could be illustrated from Table 6 that the important family sizes among the
respondents are less than three members and four to five members per family, which constitute
47.14 and 24.29 per cent of the total, respectively. The number of respondents who have a family
size of 5 to 6 members and above 6 members in their family constitute 15.00 per cent and 13.57
per cent to the total, respectively. The analysis reveals that the important family size among the
respondents is less than 3 members in the study area.
TABLE 7
MONTHLY INCOME OF THE FAMILY
S. No
Monthly income
Number of Respondents
Percentage
1.
Below Rs. 5,000
9
6.43
2.
Rs. 5,001 and Rs. 10,000
17
12.14
3.
Rs. 10,001 and Rs. 15,000
32
22.86
4.
Rs. 15,001 and Rs. 20,000
38
27.14
5.
Above Rs.20,000
44
31.43
Total
140
100.00
Source: Primary data
It is inferred from Table 7 that 9 (6.43%) respondents families earn a monthly income
below Rs. 5,000, 17 (12.47 %) respondents' families earn a monthly income between Rs. 5,001
and Rs. 10,000, 32 (22.86%) respondents earn a monthly income between Rs. 10,001 and Rs.
15,000, 38 (27.14%) respondents earn a monthly income between Rs. 15,001 and Rs. Rs. 20,000,
and the rest 44 (31.43 %) respondents earn a monthly income above Rs. 20,000 per month.
According to the households, the average family's monthly income is Rs 15,750.47.
TABLE 8
FREQUENCY OF BROWSING THE INTERNET PER DAY
S. No
Regularity of browsing
Number of Respondents
Percentage

Journal of Xi’an Shiyou University, Natural Science Edition ISSN : 1673-064X
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1.
Below 1 hour
24
17.14
2.
1 to 2 hours
35
25.00
3.
2 to 3 hours
42
30.00
4.
3 to 4 hours
31
22.14
5.
Above 4 hours
8
5.72
Total
140
100.00
Source: Primary data.
When it came to how much time people spent on the internet during the day, 30.00 percent of those
polled said they spent 2 to 3 hours. Furthermore, 25% of the sample spent less than 1 to 2 hours
on the internet, 22.14 percent spent 3 to 4 hours on the internet, 17.14 percent spent less than 1
hour, and 5.72 percent spent more than 4 hours.
Relationship between Internet usage and satisfaction of online buying
The relationship between respondent's internet usage and satisfaction of online buying is
examined with the help of Pearson's correlation coefficient and the hypothesis that 'the internet
usage and satisfaction of online buying has a significant positive relationship with the respondent's
internet usage and satisfaction of online buying is evaluated, and the results are obtainable in Table
9.
TABLE 9
CORRELATION BETWEEN INTERNET USAGE AND SATISFACTION OF ONLINE
BUYING
Satisfaction Factors
Internet usage (Pearson correlation coefficient)
Price
0.401*
Quality
0.697*
Availability
0.455*
Package
0.631*
Service
0.492*
Note: * At the 0.01 level, the correlation is significant.
Table 9 reveals that the internet usage and satisfaction of online shopping is positively correlated
with all the satisfaction factors viz price (0.401), quality (0.697), availability (0.455), package
(0.631) and service (0.492) at 0.01 level of significance. Thus, the respondents who have the right
enthusiasm towards choosing online shopping get a prominent level of satisfaction and vice versa.
TABLE 10
PREFERENCE OF CHOOSING ONLINE SHOPPING

Journal of Xi’an Shiyou University, Natural Science Edition ISSN : 1673-064X
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Sl. No.
Preference
No. of Respondents
Percentage
1.
Very convenience and time consuming
43
30.71
2.
Low price
28
20.00
3.
Products verities
51
36.43
4.
Rare products
18
12.86
Total
140
100.0
Source: Primary data.
According to the above data, out of 140 respondents, 30.71 percent picked online shopping because
of convenience, 20% chose because of low price, 36.43 percent chose because of product variety,
and the remaining 12.86 percent chose because of rare products.
Comparison of male and female respondents' preference of choosing online shopping
The market opportunities are perceived by comparing the male and female respondents'
preferences for online shopping. Moreover, respondents who have a robust negative preference
towards a firm's product avoid buying it and urge their relatives and friends to do so. Hence, the
study involves both male and female respondents in examining the difference in their preference
for online shopping, and the results are shown in Table 11.
TABLE 11
PAIRED SAMPLE T - TEST FOR RESPONDENTS PREFERENCE OF CHOOSING
ONLINE SHOPPING
Sex
N
Mean
S. D
‘t’ Value
Sig
Male
90
18.59
12.92
0.554
0.401
Female
70
11.03
6.17
Source: Computed from Primary Data
In Table 11, the calculated t-value for a preference of choosing online shopping is 0.554
with a p-value of 0.401. This result exhibits that the preference of choosing online shopping is not
statistically significant at 0.05 level, and thus, the preference of male and female respondents of
choosing online shopping is the same.
TABLE 12
ATTITUDE TOWARDS ONLINE SHOPPING

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Sl. No.
Attitude towards Online Shopping
No. of Respondents
Percentage
1.
saves time
112
80.00
2.
Shop at any time
129
92.14
3.
Risky
58
41.43
4.
Lengthy time to delivery
67
47.86
5.
Selection of goods very comprehensive
84
60.00
6.
Product precise
65
46.43
7.
Safe
49
35.00
8.
Bank account make trouble
34
24.29
9.
Home distribution accessible
72
51.43
Source: Primary data.
Multiple responses
Table 12 shows that out of the total respondents, 80.00% of the respondents feel that shopping on
the internet saves time, 92.14% think that they can shop at any time of the day, 41.43%of the
respondents think that online shopping is not risky, 47.86% believe that online vendors require a
long time to deliver the product, 60.00% of the respondents agree that online shopping ensures the
availability of a wide variety of products, 46.43% of the respondents agree that online sites ensure
accurate description of products, 35.00% of the respondents think that online shopping is as secure
as traditional shopping, 24.29% of the respondents agree that possessing a bank account or credit
card creates difficulty, 51.43% of the respondents agree that they would purchase products through
online even if there is no provision of home delivery.
TABLE 13
The effect of socio-economic characteristics on the Attitude towards Online Shopping using
the chi-square test
Socio-Economic variables
Chi-Square values
P Values
Significance
Age
28.31
0.001*
Significant
Sex
32.16
0.001*
Significant
Nature of family
40.73
0.413
Not Significant
Family Size
18.48
0.365
Not Significant
Marital Status
23.95
0.010*
Significant

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Educational Qualification
29.53
0.432
Not Significant
Monthly Income of Family
12.02
0.001*
Significant
* Significant level of 5 per cent.
The above table demonstrates that respondents' attitude towards online shopping is
significantly correlated with socio-economic variables, such as age, sex, marital status, and family
income per month, with a 5% or lower P-value. Therefore, the null hypothesis for these variables
was rejected. Nature of family, family size, and educational attainment does not significantly
impact respondents' attitude towards online shopping. This means that for these variables, the null
hypothesis has been accepted.
CONCLUSION
Therefore, our study has concentrated primarily on analysing online buying perceptions. As a
result of our findings, businesses in Thoothukudi District will better understand what motivates
customers to shop online, and they will be able to tailor their marketing efforts accordingly.
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