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Factors Influencing Consumer Behavior towards Online Shopping in Saudi Arabia Amid COVID-19: Implications for E-Businesses Post Pandemic

Author

Listed:
  • Sarah S. Al Hamli

    (Management Department, College of Business Administration, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsaa 31982, Saudi Arabia)

  • Abu Elnasr E. Sobaih

    (Management Department, College of Business Administration, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsaa 31982, Saudi Arabia
    Hotel Management Department, Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management, Helwan University, Cairo 12612, Egypt)

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has significantly reshaped consumer behaviors in Saudi Arabia, as in most other countries worldwide, and it has played a critical role in rising commercial online activities. The purpose of this study is to test the factors affecting online shopping amid COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia. The five main factors identified from the literature review towards online shopping namely, product variety, convenience, payment method, trust, and psychological factors were analyzed and examined in the Saudi context. The research collected data online through a pre-tested instrument, which was directed to online Saudi consumers via different electronic tools, e.g., email and social media platforms. The results of a statistical analysis showed that only three factors have a direct significant impact on online shopping amid the COVID-19 pandemic. These factors were product variety, payment method, and psychological factors. Convenient and trust factors failed to have a significant impact on consumers’ decisions to shop online amid COVID-19. Both factors were less important for consumers, since shopping online amid COVID-19 has become most common among people. The result will assist e-commerce businesses to better meet consumer demands by adjusting their marketing strategies, especially in times of crisis.

Suggested Citation

  • Sarah S. Al Hamli & Abu Elnasr E. Sobaih, 2023. "Factors Influencing Consumer Behavior towards Online Shopping in Saudi Arabia Amid COVID-19: Implications for E-Businesses Post Pandemic," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-21, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jjrfmx:v:16:y:2023:i:1:p:36-:d:1026113
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Béland, Louis-Philippe & Brodeur, Abel & Wright, Taylor, 2020. "The Short-Term Economic Consequences of COVID-19: Exposure to Disease, Remote Work and Government Response," GLO Discussion Paper Series 524, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    2. Abu Elnasr E. Sobaih & Fatheya Moustafa, 2022. "Panic Food Purchasing amid COVID-19 Pandemic: Does the Impact of Perceived Severity, Anxiety and Self-Isolation Really Matter?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-16, November.
    3. repec:eme:reps00:reps-10-2018-013 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Pantano, Eleonora & Pizzi, Gabriele & Scarpi, Daniele & Dennis, Charles, 2020. "Competing during a pandemic? Retailers’ ups and downs during the COVID-19 outbreak," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 209-213.
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    Cited by:

    1. Abu Elnasr E. Sobaih & Ahmed AlSaif, 2023. "Effects of Parcel Delivery Service on Customer Satisfaction in the Saudi Arabian Logistics Industry: Does the National Culture Make a Difference?," Logistics, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-15, December.
    2. Bilal Ahmad Ali Al-Khateeb & Fakher Moncef Jaoua & Elsayed Sobhy Ahmed Mohamed, 2023. "The Impact of Attitude Towards Online Shopping in Strengthening the Relationship Between Online Shopping Experience and E-Customer Engagement," International Journal of Customer Relationship Marketing and Management (IJCRMM), IGI Global, vol. 14(1), pages 1-25, January.
    3. Marko Šostar & Vladimir Ristanović, 2023. "Assessment of Influencing Factors on Consumer Behavior Using the AHP Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-24, June.
    4. Fodouop Kouam Arthur William, 2024. "Exploring the Cross-Cultural Online Shopping Experience: A Study of Foreign Residents in China," International Journal of Science and Business, IJSAB International, vol. 31(1), pages 12-25.

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