Rise of E-commerce in India: A Consumer Study
Authors-Anshika Amrej Jaiswal, Deep G Murzello
Keyword-E-commerce, India, consumer behavior, trust, e-service quality, UTAUT2, satisfaction, loyalty, returns.
The e-commerce industry in India has grown at a high rate owing to the proliferation of online technology, the use of smart phones, digital payments and facilitating policies of the same. Based on the adoption and consumer behavior literature, this paper proposes the determinant of e-commerce purchase intention and loyalty among Indian consumers with reference to the trust, e-service quality, perceived value, and after-sales experience (including returns). An offer to con-duct a cross-sectional survey is laid out and provided in the form of a complete publishable template. With an exemplary data set (N = 420) we apply a concept structure that entails combin-ing technology widely adopted variables (e.g., performance expectancy, effort expectancy), relationship/ retention factors, and service quality processes. Findings indicate that the most predictive factors of trust and e-service quality lead to purchase intention and satisfaction; the latter predicts loyalty and repurchase intention. Perceived risk has negative impact on trust, and convenient returns management has positive impacts on satisfaction. The difference in de-mographics implies the greater dependency on trust indications in first-time and low-experience customers. The results indicate that the evolution of e-commerce in India can be supported both by the availability and payment systems and by the quality cues that face consumer (e.g., good delivery, open policies, customer service, safe payments, and hassle free returns). The implica-tions are addressed on platforms, sellers, and regulators, and recommendations are outlined in accordance with the rule of consumer protection and digital commerce networks development.