Exploring the effect of online shopping motivations on purchase intention applied

 
 

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Chapter 1 - Introduction 
1.1 Background 
Consumers are increasing their use of digital technology. This includes websites, social media 
and mobile apps to research products, make price comparisons, purchases and to leave 
feedback and reviews online. Forecasts reveal that 64% of physical store retail sales will be 
influenced by digital technology by the end of the year (Deloitte, 2016). As the number of 
Internet users increases, so do the opportunities for online shopping (Lee, 2006). 
Traditionally, cosmetics are seen as a risky online purchase, due to the fact that on this 
product category, consumers feel the need to try the product (A.T Kearney, 2014). Thus, until 
recently it was not even cost efficient to purchase cosmetics online. Personal care products are 
now part of e-commerce revolution and consumers are already making fewer trips to physical 
stores to purchase cosmetics in favor of the online platform shopping process. Nevertheless, 
retailers are still putting their efforts in digital in order to enhance and improve the online 
shopping experience when purchasing cosmetics. (A.T. Kearney, 2014; eMarketer, 2015; 
Nielsen, 2014). 
Although the percentage of cosmetic online sales is still low, compared to other product 
categories, it has been growing at fast pace throughout the world (A.T.Kearney, 2014).
According to Childers et al. (2001), e-commerce provides an opportunity for businesses to 
create an environment and purchase experience that cannot be offered in physical stores and 
this way increasing sales through online channels. 
Motivations to pursue online shopping can be hedonic and utilitarian. The behavior of 
consumers with high utilitarian motivations to purchase is described as energetic, task-
oriented and rational (Batra et al., 1991) whilst the behavior of consumers hedonic motivated 
are looking for multi-sensory experiences, fantasies and emotion when buying (Hirschman et 
al., 1982). 
Although offline shopping is more often associated with experimental benefits than online, 
some online consumers also portray online shopping as enjoyable, fun and sociable explained 
by the fact that sometimes shoppers from a specific category or website share their opinions 
and thoughts (Close and Kukar-Kinney, 2010). 

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