Predictors of Turkish individuals’ online shopping adoption: An empirical study on regional difference

Abstract

E-commerce is a result of the most recent technological advancements which has liberated trade on a global scale and further facilitated the communication of information. The purpose of this study is to research the differences in the usage of e-commerce among individuals living in regions of different levels of development in Türkiye and to determine the relationship between demographic, economic and personal characteristics and the e-commerce usage of individuals. In this study, the micro data set obtained from the Household Information Technologies Use Survey was used. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to determine the factors related to the e-commerce usage of individuals. As a result of the study, it was detected that the variables; education level, level of income, age, gender, occupation, social media use, engagement in information search about products and services online, engagement in selling products or services online, use of online banking, and e-government use are related to e-commerce usage. The study found that the variables affecting e-commerce usage differ by region. It is necessary to expand the internet by improving the information and communication technology infrastructure in low development regions to facilitate the development the use of e-commerce in these regions. Therefore, when looking for information on e-commerce, relevant regional initiatives should be considered. In developing countries, expanding e-commerce to low development areas requires more than just facilitating access to the internet.