What is Online Shopping?
Online shopping is generally considered as the activity of buying goods or services by using the Internet. Online shopping has become increasingly popular over the last decade or so, with $513.6 billion spent during 2018, in the United States alone (Quarterly, 2019). More people are discovering the many benefits and advantages of shopping online that are not necessarily found at brick-and-mortar stores. With 24/7 accessibility, no traveling, less time intensity, infinite store selection, extensive amounts of information on products and services, and online tools to assist the purchasing process, it makes sense why this would be the preferred shopping alternative (Moshref, 2012). Yet, research has found that although shopping online can be fairly convenient, there are a few setbacks that need to be taken into account. These risks can include, financial risk (e.g., credit card information being stolen), product risk (e.g., difference in product, as perceived online vs. when delivered), convenience risk (e.g., understanding rules and regulations for return policy), and non-delivery risk (e.g., the product may or may not be delivered) (Moshref, 2012). The more likely one perceives a product as being at risk, the more likely they are to go to a traditional store to make the purchase. For more information on risks, please visit the Risks page, or click here.
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Just as shopping has moved towards an online format, many other activities, such as arcades, banking, education and interviews have done the same. Online shopping, on the other hand, is unfortunately being recognized in research for its addictive qualities. With more research, online shopping addiction can be addressed in mental health professions, e-retail, and to consumer groups (Rose, 2013). The ways in which online retailers influence their customers can also be a contributing factor to the rising rates of online shopping addiction. The atmospheric qualities of online stores can influence a consumer in many ways. The two main factors have been described in some research as high task-relevance (e.g., product information) and low task-relevance (e.g., web design layout, music, amount of “white space”, color, pictures, etc.) (Eroglu, 1999). These factors are only specific to online shopping phenomenon. As one of the most widely-utilized online retailers in the market, visit Amazon.com, for examples of web design related phenomenon.
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Where does psychology come into play?
Online shopping may seem like an activity that is mundane, just as grocery shopping may be perceived. Although this could be true, there are several behaviors tied to online shopping that have been empirically researched in the field of psychology. These include, compulsive shopping disorder, the impacts of Big Five personality traits on shopping behavior, and even classical conditioning models (such as, Stimulus-Organism-Response). Other factors have also been tied to e-commerce behaviors as well, including self-efficacy, trust, and levels of controllability (Pavlou, 2006). When psychologists and researchers studied how atmospheric qualities of online stores influence their
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customers, they conceptualize a few basic qualities, in relation to the buying process; Involvement, atmospheric responsiveness, and approach/avoidance behaviors (Eroglu, 1999). Therefore, the attempts to tie together psychological processes with online shopping behaviors are not something that is incredibly recent and new. A lot of the research has focused on internet addiction, as a whole, instead of focusing on specific addictions, such as online shopping. Just as many other fields of study, improvements and further research can still be done to help us understand the benefits, risks, addictions and possible treatments in relation to online shopping. For more information about online shopping addiction, please visit CNBC for a brief overview.
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For further information on the psychology of shopping addiction, please click below.
Created for Psychology of Computers & Internet 432 by Dessy Cashell, Tiana Evans, Gavriella Silvestre, & Brittany Shannon.
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