Abstract

Electronic commerce is fundamentally changing the way consumers shop and purchase goods and services. Consumers have learnt how to act in an ever-changing electronic market environment. For some consumers, shopping and buying online have become part of their lives, whereas others consider it, without taking any action yet. The aim of this paper is to assess and investigate the online consumer buying behaviour of tertiary students in the greater Durban area. With regard to attitudes and behaviours, the important factors influencing these are levels of education and experience with the internet, as well as environmental influences such as perceptions of peers and contemporaries. The decision making processes when shopping online, as well as customer satisfaction with the overall online shopping experience, are also notable factors when it comes to buying behaviour. This research was quantitative, cross-sectional, and descriptive in nature. A convenience sample of 400 students from the two resident universities in Durban was used. From the primary research conducted, it can be concluded that the majority of students currently do have internet access, although the activity of only a few is of a transactional nature.

Key words: online consumer buying behaviour, shopping online, internet.