An Empirical Study on Consumer Perception, Preferences, Myths, and Behavior Towards Green Products and Green Marketing, and the Impact of Online Shopping on Retail Trade in South India
Authors-Manea Swathi, P. Prasanna, Mounika Beeravalli
Keyword-Green Marketing; Consumer Perception; Green Purchase Behavior; Online Shop-ping; Retail Trade Impact; Sustainable Consumption.
This study examines consumer perception, preferences, myths, and behavior toward green prod-ucts and green marketing, along with the impact of online shopping on retail trade in South India. The research addresses the growing relevance of sustainable consumption and digital transformation in emerging economies. A descriptive and analytical research design was adopt-ed, and primary data were collected from 198 respondents using a structured questionnaire. Statistical tools including reliability analysis, correlation, regression, and ANOVA were em-ployed to test the proposed hypotheses.The findings reveal that consumer perception, prefer-ences, and green marketing strategies significantly and positively influence green purchase be-havior. Conversely, myths and misconceptions regarding high cost and product effectiveness negatively affect consumer decisions. Online shopping emerges as a strong predictor of green purchase behavior, driven by digital information availability, peer reviews, and price transparen-cy. Furthermore, the growth of online retail significantly impacts traditional retail trade, intensi-fying competitive pressures in the regional market. Demographic factors such as age and educa-tion also show significant influence on sustainable purchasing behavior. The study highlights the need for transparent green communication, myth reduction through awareness campaigns, and integration of digital and offline retail strategies. By combining green consumer behavior and online retail impact within a unified empirical framework, this research contributes to sustainable marketing literature and provides practical insights for marketers, retailers, and policymakers in South India.