Factors affecting purchasing behaviour through electronic business to consumer (B2C) sites and marketplaces: Evidence from internet users in Tanzania

Abstract

The study established the online purchasing choices and factors that affect customer online purchasing behaviour that is determined by customer online buying experience. A descripto-explanatory design was adopted so as to profile and explain the causal effect relationship of repetitive online purchasing. The study sampled 385 internet users, and data were collected using online survey tools. Multistage sampling was adopted, whereby at first online platforms were purposively selected and thereafter the shared survey tool was open for anyone to access and respond. Data collected were both quantitatively and qualitatively analysed and presented. The findings show that online purchasers prefer to purchase from social media applications rather than from specialized e-commerce sites. Also, the findings reveal that online buyers can purchase quality products and at affordable prices online just as they did in physical retail markets. Pertaining to factors affecting customer online purchasing behaviour, it was found that online buying experience is affected by presence of phantom sellers, lengthy browsing time, user friendliness of e-marketplaces and internet data cost. Further, the study found that in spite of negative experiences encountered when purchasing online, buyers aren’t willing to entirely quit making online purchases. The study concludes that e-marketplaces and online retailers are using digital commercial mechanisms which buyers perceive as restrictive. The emergence of social media poses a threat to specialized e-commerce sites which causes underutilization of e-commerce sites. The study recommends that online retailers and local e-commerce sites developers should consider electronic dynamism that is user-friendly and offers a variety of products with easily accessible product details.