Profiling Internet users based on their propensity to adopt online shopping

Abstract

In this study Internet users are profiled based on their propensity to adopt online shopping. Five Internet shopping adopter groups are distinguished by classifying online shoppers into two adopter groups based on their time of adoption and non-adopters into three groups based on their intended use of online shopping. The resulting segments are profiled not only with regard to socio-demographic and webographic characteristics, but also with respect to exploratory buying behavior tendency and extroversion. Our findings point to significant differences between these adopter groups, demonstrating the significance of a more graded hierarchical approach to the adoption of online shopping.