The impact of the Internet on consumer behavior in Russian market of clothes, shoes and accessories

<p>This study aims to determine the impact of the Internet on consumer behavior in Russian market of clothes, shoes and accessories.</p><p>This study contains main theoretical aspects of consumer behavior, such as consumer motivation and needs, consumer purchase decision process, influencing factors on consumer behavior and consumer behavior models.</p><p>The study of consumer behavior in Russian market of clothes, shoes and accessories was based on the consumer decision process model wherein the pivot points of Internet impact were highlighted. Moreover, the study considered the determinants of e-commerce in clothes, shoes and accessories market and the current state of clothes, shoes and accessories market in Russia were discussed.</p><p>Online survey of Russian consumers of clothes, shoes and accessories formed the research base. The hypotheses were based on the key processes of consumer decision process model that can be affected by the Internet impact. The main assumption of the study &ndash; impact of the Internet can be traced at each processes of the consumer decision process model.</p><p>The results of data analysis, including methods such as means comparison and independent samples t-test, confirmed the following hypotheses:</p><ul><li>Hypothesis 1. Consumers use the Internet as a channel to find information about the clothes, shoes and/or accessories more often than traditional media;</li><li>Hypothesis 2. Consumers trust the Internet as a source of information about the clothes, shoes and/or accessories more than traditional media;</li><li>Hypothesis 4. Consumers make purchases of clothes, shoes and/or accessories for sale online rarely than offline retail stores;</li><li>Hypothesis 5. Consumers are willing to spend less money on clothes, shoes and/or accessories purchase at online stores than at offline retail stores.</li></ul><p>The remaining hypotheses were rejected:</p><ul><li>Hypothesis 3. Consumers visit more online shopping than offline retail stores while choosing clothes, shoes and / or accessories;</li><li>Hypothesis 6. Consumers share positive feedback about the clothes, shoes and / or accessories online more often than offline;</li><li>Hypothesis 7. Consumers often share negative reviews about the clothes, shoes and / or accessories online more often than offline.</li></ul><p>The obtained results lead to the conclusion that the impact of the Internet has already changed several elements of consumer behavior in Russian market of clothes, shoes and accessories, such as information search features and exposure.</p><p>According to the results of the online survey, consumers in Russia have shown a high level of trust in the Internet as a source of information. Also, consumers use the Internet to find information about the clothes, shoes and accessories in most cases. However, impact of the Internet touched upon only initial stages of the consumer process, while particular purchase, evaluation alternatives and the results are still slightly affected by the Internet.</p><p>Russian consumers make purchases of clothes, shoes and/or accessories in offline retail stores more than online. Furthermore, they are willing to spend more on offline purchases than in online stores.</p><p>Consumers of clothes, shoes and accessories in Russia tend to visit more offline retail stores that online stores. It should be mentioned that Russian consumers share their opinions on clothes, shoes and/or accessories &ndash; both positive and negative &ndash; offline more often than online.</p>