Using Digital Devices in the Online Shopping: a Study of Demographic Differences

Abstract

The paper deals with the investigation of the analysis that reveals the impact of digitalization as the development of new communication platforms, which are also changing the consumer’s purchasing behavior in the online environment. The main goal of this research is to identify consumer preferences concerning the communication platforms of digital equipment for purchasing in the online environment. The study is focused primarily on smartphones, tablets, phablets, laptops, PDAs, and desktops. The survey sample amounts to 414 respondents. The authors observed the differences in preferences on types of digital devices based on the sex, generations, the level of education of respondents, and the frequency of the purchase. Methodological tools of this study are non-parametric tests and ordinal regression analysis. The analysis results stated that the most preferred device for the online purchase is the notebook for males and so for females. Herewith, the authors did not find statistically significant gender differences. It is expected that the impact of innovation various changes in these preferences, especially in a change to use tablets and smartphones. The analysis has shown that people mostly purchase via smartphone. Moreover, they are the customers with a higher frequency of purchases, and customers of generation X, which means that even the older consumers. The paper includes practical implications, particularly for business entities, for the reason that knowledge of the options leads to the right set of strategies and will follow the effective achievement of business aims. Businesses with the characteristics of an innovative and active entity have a much greater chance of becoming a prosperous company. These companies are able to respond flexibly to the values of those consumers who are using their digital devices. The ever-increasing global interest in digital shopping signals the urgent need to deepen knowledge of consumer behavior. Keywords: digital devices, E-commerce, online shopping, Slovakia, generation, regression analysis, non-parametric methods.