INTRODUCTION
The coronavirus pandemic has caused and continues to cause huge damage to the global
economy in general and international trade in particular. Multiple factors have exacerbated the
uncertainty in which enterprises and end customers have found themselves. To name a few,
income loss, cross-border travel limitations, evolving consumer demand, and market actors'
changing behavior (Leach et al., 2021). Consumers have been advised to purchase more on
online marketplaces as a result of global lockdown, social isolation, and other measures taken to
contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic (Alessa et al., 2021). Thus, the corporate
landscape underwent dramatic changes during the quarantine period. In the end, this crisis
hastened the growth of digital commerce.
Online shopping has become a more popular means of purchasing products and services
in the Internet world (Bourlakis, Papagiannidis, & Fox, 2008). Shopping via online has become
one of the most popular Internet activities. Modern consumers wanting convenience and speed
have been demonstrated to be more satisfied by online buying. As a result, internet shopping has
grown increasingly essential in the twenty-first century, as most people have busy schedules, and
online buying is regarded the easiest and most convenient way of shopping. (Aref & Okasha,
2019). The internet provides businesses with creative ways to handle information and better
serve their customers.
Furthermore, COVID-19 pandemic triggered a surge in internet sales. Because physical
store visits were limited and many people were short on cash, shoppers turned to the internet to
shop, causing online purchases to be known (Dannenberg et al., 2020). Even before the
pandemic, consumers were generally cautious shoppers (Afonasova et al., 2020). Thus, several
buying categories, such as experiences, have been increasingly pushed down priority lists, and
COVID-19 has expedited this trend (Im et al., 2021).
On the other hand, Consumer Behavior is the study of how individual customers, groups,
or organizations pick, buy, use, and dispose of ideas, commodities, and services to meet their
needs and wants. It refers to the consumer's actions in the marketplace and the motivations
behind those actions (Chand, 2021).
The COVID-19 pandemic altered the lifestyle and motivations of many people especially
their purchasing behavior had also changed. The transition from physical buying to digital was
quite a shock for those who are new to online shopping. Moreover, shifting from face-to-face
transactions to online transactions was a challenge for everybody certainly because of the current
health crisis which had brought so much fear and anxiety to the customers who were deprived
from going out because they worry that they might be infected by this terrifying disease. With
this being said, the researchers felt the arising concern to assess the consumer behavior in the
digital era of the college and junior high school students as well as the teachers/professors in
Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU).
This study aims to test the proposed 5 factors namely; Psychological, Social, Cultural,
Personal, Economic Factors to assess the purchasing behavior of the college, junior high and
professors at EVSU in digital context. At the same time the researchers will determine the level
of satisfaction of the respondents as to what is more convenient; physical purchasing or online
shopping. The data to be gathered will be a great opportunity to identity current trends and
pattern of online shopping and be able to contribute to the e-commerce.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The findings of this study are significant and beneficial, especially to the following:
To the Online Entrepreneurs. The results of this study will surely give them insights on
how they can meet the current customers’ preferences, this will help them to identify where they
can stream-line their operations while hampering the changes brought by the COVID-19
pandemic.
To the Customer. This study is a big contribution to their part as customers because this
would create a foundation to effectively strengthen their relationship to the entrepreneurs they
are into. Specifically, this research will give them knowledge as to how the transition from
physical buying to online shopping.
To the Future Entrepreneur. The findings of the study will be a guide for the future
business owners in developing their businesses. It will help them to formulate a better technique
when it comes to customer satisfaction.
To the Future Researchers. This research would help the future researchers to be aware
and to be knowledgeable of the processes that are involved consumer behavior in digital era. It
will help them to become a better analyst and this will serve as a future reference for more
studies in the future.
Respondents of the Study
Since the study is focused on assessing consumer behavior in digital era among
the junior high, college students and professors at Eastern Visayas State University who
are purchasing products and services via online. The distribution of the questionnaire
will be done through a google document. The researchers will send a direct message to
these respondents on their facebook accounts for them to be guided as to how they are
going to answer the said questionnaires.
