Short answer

Focus on understanding and influencing consumer behavior and psychological factors, rather than relying solely on demographics, to effectively engage different consumer segments in the evolving retail landscape.

Field: Innovation & Markets
Source: Journal of Business Research (2023)
Method: Quantitative research using a modified UTAUT2 model and Hierarchical Tree Regression (CHAID method).
Sample: 836 participants (491 Portuguese, 345 Spanish)
Evidence: Moderate effect

Understanding the psychological and behavioral factors influencing e-commerce adoption is crucial for segmenting consumers and tailoring strategies in the post-COVID era. This innovation & markets research insight is drawn from a 2023 study published in Journal of Business Research. Using Quantitative research using a modified utaut2 model and hierarchical tree regression (chaid method). with 836 participants (491 Portuguese, 345 Spanish), researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Focus on understanding and influencing consumer behavior and psychological factors, rather than relying solely on demographics, to effectively engage different consumer segments in the evolving retail landscape.

Study

Innovation & MarketsRecentModerate effect

Post-COVID consumer segments reveal distinct e-commerce adoption drivers and barriers

Understanding the psychological and behavioral factors influencing e-commerce adoption is crucial for segmenting consumers and tailoring strategies in the post-COVID era.

Journal of Business Research · 2023

Key Findings

01Differences exist in e-commerce adoption between Portuguese and Spanish consumers.
02Socio-demographic variables have limited influence on the intention to use e-commerce.
03Behavioral variables are critical for defining consumer segments in both e-commerce and physical shopping contexts.

Application

Design takeaway

How to apply

Conduct user research to identify key behavioral drivers and barriers for your target audience. Use this information to create distinct value propositions and user journeys for online and offline channels.

Project actions

01When researching consumer behavior, look beyond basic demographics to understand underlying motivations.
02Consider how cultural differences might influence adoption of new technologies or shopping methods.

Method & Evidence

AimTo analyze the drivers and barriers of e-commerce channel usage intention and their implications for physical channels, and to identify distinct consumer segments for e-commerce versus physical shopping in the post-COVID-19 era.

MethodQuantitative research using a modified UTAUT2 model and Hierarchical Tree Regression (CHAID method).

ProcedureAn online questionnaire was administered to collect data on consumer attitudes, intentions, and behaviors related to e-commerce and physical shopping. The data was then analyzed using CHAID to identify consumer segments based on their adoption intentions.

Sample836 participants (491 Portuguese, 345 Spanish)

ContextConsumer behavior in e-commerce and physical retail post-COVID-19.

Variables

IV["Drivers of e-commerce usage intention (e.g., performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, hedonic motivation, price, habit)","Barriers to e-commerce usage intention","Country (Portugal vs. Spain)"]

DV["Intention to use e-commerce channels","Intention to use physical channels","Consumer segments"]

CV["Socio-demographic variables (age, gender, income, education, etc.)"]

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Utilizes a robust theoretical model (UTAUT2) adapted for the context.
+Employs a sophisticated segmentation method (CHAID) for data analysis.
+Addresses a timely and relevant topic in consumer behavior.

Limitations

The sample was limited to two European countries, and the study relied on self-reported data, which may not perfectly reflect actual behavior.

Reliability & validity

The study's reliability can be inferred from the use of a validated model (UTAUT2) and a systematic segmentation method (CHAID). Validity is supported by the large sample size and the focus on a relevant real-world context. However, the reliance on self-reported data may affect the ecological validity.

Think critically

How might the identified behavioral drivers and barriers evolve as the novelty of the post-COVID era fades and new technologies emerge?

Design Principles

"Consumer segmentation should be driven by behavioral and psychological insights, not just demographics, to effectively tailor market strategies."

This research highlights that while socio-demographic factors may have less impact, specific behavioral and psychological drivers significantly differentiate between consumers who prefer online versus physical shopping. Designers and marketers can leverage these insights to develop more targeted and effective strategies for e-commerce platforms and physical retail experiences.

What This Means for Your Design

This study shows that what makes people shop online versus in stores after COVID-19 is more about their habits and feelings than their age or job. Different countries also have different preferences.

How to use in your project

1.Use the findings to justify your choice of target audience and to inform your user research methods.
2.Reference the study when discussing the importance of behavioral factors in consumer adoption.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

This research by Higueras‐Castillo et al. (2023) highlights the critical role of behavioral variables in segmenting consumers for e-commerce versus physical shopping in the post-COVID era, suggesting that targeted strategies should focus on these drivers rather than solely on socio-demographic factors.

Source

Journal of Business Research

Intention to use e-commerce vs physical shopping. Difference between consumers in the post-COVID era

journal · 2023

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about post-covid consumer segments reveal distinct e-commerce adoption drivers and barriers?: Focus on understanding and influencing consumer behavior and psychological factors, rather than relying solely on demographics, to effectively engage different consumer segments in the evolving retail landscape. Evidence: Journal of Business Research (2023).
Why does "Post-COVID consumer segments reveal distinct e-commerce adoption drivers and barriers" matter for design?: This research highlights that while socio-demographic factors may have less impact, specific behavioral and psychological drivers significantly differentiate between consumers who prefer online versus physical shopping. Designers and marketers can leverage these insights to develop more targeted and effective strategies for e-commerce platforms and physical retail experiences.
How can designers apply this research?: Focus on understanding and influencing consumer behavior and psychological factors, rather than relying solely on demographics, to effectively engage different consumer segments in the evolving retail landscape.
What were the main findings?: Differences exist in e-commerce adoption between Portuguese and Spanish consumers.. Socio-demographic variables have limited influence on the intention to use e-commerce.. Behavioral variables are critical for defining consumer segments in both e-commerce and physical shopping contexts.
What research method was used?: Quantitative research using a modified UTAUT2 model and Hierarchical Tree Regression (CHAID method). with 836 participants (491 Portuguese, 345 Spanish).
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2023 journal from Journal of Business Research.
What should I do differently in my next project?: Conduct user research to identify key behavioral drivers and barriers for your target audience. Use this information to create distinct value propositions and user journeys for online and offline channels.
What are the limitations?: The study focused on Portuguese and Spanish consumers, so findings may not be generalizable to other cultural contexts. The reliance on self-reported data through questionnaires can introduce biases.