Understanding young adults’ online shopping experiences and satisfaction

Introduction

The consumer online shopping experience among young adults is an increasingly important area of research, reflecting the rapid development of digital technologies, widespread internet adoption, and the prevalence of smartphones. Young adults, typically between 18 and 30 years, are early adopters of e-commerce platforms and exhibit distinctive purchasing behaviors influenced by convenience, product variety, price transparency, and personalization (Teo, 2002; Pal & Kumari, 2023) [17,9] . Their shopping patterns are shaped not only by technological familiarity but also by social media usage, peer recommendations, and online reviews (Sengupta & Pandey, 2022; Sharma, 2020) [14,15] . Studies have shown that factors such as user-friendly website interfaces, secure payment mechanisms, and fast delivery enhance satisfaction and brand loyalty, particularly within youth-focused markets (Ganapathi, 2015; Geetha & Elayaraja, 2019; Mishra et al., 2023) [4,5,8] . Furthermore, demographic aspects such as education level, income, gender balance, and family background also contribute to consumer behavior in the online space (Kapoor et al., 2022; Vidya & Selvamani, 2019; Rajeswari, 2015) [7,18,12] . Recent literature underscores the role of trust, digital literacy, and engaging content in fostering repeat purchases (Antony, 2022; Sharma, 2020) [1,15] . As e-commerce continues to evolve, understanding young adults' online shopping preferences is crucial for businesses aiming to design seamless, secure, and personalized experiences that cater to this highly influential consumer segment. Study on consumer online shopping experience with reference to young adults is essential because this demographic constitutes a significant and growing segment of e-commerce users, whose behaviors and preferences are shaped by unique social, technological, and psychological factors. Young adults prioritize convenience, diverse product selection, and flexible payment and delivery options, integrating online shopping seamlessly into their busy lifestyles (Sreekanth, 2024) [16] . Social media and peer recommendations heavily influence their purchasing decisions, underscoring the importance of personalized marketing and interactive digital touchpoints (Pal & Kumari, 2023; Ibrahim et al., 2023) [9,6] . Moreover, challenges such as data security concerns, product quality uncertainties, and return policies impact their trust and satisfaction, making it crucial for businesses to address these issues to foster loyalty (St. Thomas' College study, 2023). Understanding these factors allows companies to tailor usercentric platforms, enhance digital engagement, and remain competitive in the ever-evolving online retail space where www.extensionjournal.com young adults are prominent consumers (Antony, 2022; Kapoor et al., 2022) [1,7] .

Materials and Methods

Location of the study

The present examination was conducted in the Parbhani district of Marathwada region in Maharashtra state

Target group

A purposive random sampling method was employed in accordance with the researcher's area of study. The sample comprised 150 college-going students, equally divided between males (75) and females (75), within the age range of 20 to above 25 years. All selected participants were active users of online applications for purchasing products.

Data Collection

Primary data was collected through personal interviews using a structured questionnaire.

Statistical Analysis

Descriptive statistics including frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and sample variance were used to summarize data. Inferential statistical analysis was carried out using the Chisquare test, a non-parametric method employed to examine the association or relationship between categorical variables. This test was applied to determine whether there were statistically significant differences or associations in the observed frequencies among the study variables compared to the frequencies expected under the null hypothesis. The Chi-square test was particularly appropriate for this research as it allowed the researcher to assess patterns, trends, and potential correlations within the demographic and behavioral data of respondents, thereby supporting the interpretation of findings with respect to the study objectives. According to Table 1, the study shows that out of 150 respondents, 75 (50%) were male and 75 (50%) were female, ensuring a balanced gender representation to minimize potential biases related to sex in statistical analyses. It was further found that 136 (90.67%) respondents were single and 14 (9.33%) were married, aligning with the findings of Kapoor et al. (2022) [7] , who also reported a majority of single respondents in their study.

Results and Discussion

3.1: Personal Characteristics of consumers

Regarding family type, 79 (52.67%) respondents belonged to nuclear families, while 71 (47.33%) belonged to joint families. The educational qualification distribution revealed that 89 (59.33%) respondents were undergraduates, 51 (34%) were postgraduates, and 10 (6.67%) were doctorates, supporting the findings of Ganapathi (2015) [4] . In terms of household income, 59 (39.33%) respondents earned between ₹10,000 and ₹35,000 per month, 38 (25.33%) earned between ₹35,000 and ₹85,000, 29 (19.33%) earned below ₹10,000, 14 (9.33%) earned between ₹85,000 and ₹1,00,000, and 10 (6.67%) earned more than ₹1,00,000, which is consistent with the observations of Vidya and Selvamani (2019) [18] . Lastly, it was observed that 139 (92.67%) respondents were familiar with computer and mobile systems, while 11 (7.33%) were unfamiliar. www.extensionjournal.com

Awareness on online shopping

Products often purchased online

Product preferences offer crucial insights for businesses to enhance product development, marketing strategies, and design, which ultimately drive sales and foster customer loyalty. According to Figure 4, the majority of respondents frequently purchase clothes and accessories (32.53%), followed by shoes and footwear (20.27%), beauty and personal care products (13.07%), and books or online magazines/newspapers (12.80%). Home furnishings and furniture are purchased often by 9.07%, fruits and vegetables by 6.13%, and computer hardware or electronics by only 1.60% of respondents. This distribution highlights consumer priorities and can guide businesses in tailoring their offerings to match prevalent buying behaviors effectively. We can interpret from the table that apparel ang footwear are the most preferred products for online shopping. The infrequent online purchasing of agricultural products in the Parbhani region may be attributed to the limited reach of delivery services. The limitation is believed to be addressable through enhanced agricultural extension efforts, which are recognized as playing a crucial role in bridging gaps between farmers, markets, and service availability. Extension services, including technology transfer and market linkage programs facilitated by agencies such as Krishi Vigyan Kendras and State Agricultural Universities, are considered capable of improving local delivery infrastructure and increasing awareness and adoption of online purchasing options among farmers and consumers in the region.

Mode of payment

As similar to the findings of Rajeswari (2015) [12] , Fig. 6 showed that, most preferred payment mode of cash on delivery 89 (59.33%), 22 (14.67%) of respondents preferred other payment modes like UPI, digital wallets, gift cards. 16 (10.67%) of respondents preferred third party payments like Phone Pay, Google Pay and Paytm. 15 (10.00%) of respondents prefer internet banking as their payment mode, 8 (5.33%) of respondents preferred credit card/ debit card.

Level of Satisfaction with online shopping

Consumers level of satisfaction with online shopping is crucial to understand as it directly impacts the business outcomes and provides insights into consumer behavior. It helps in identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the businesses and provide valuable insights for businesses seeking to thrive the digital marketplace. www.extensionjournal.com The data from table 4, disclosed that majority of respondents 93 (62.00%) showed high level of satisfaction with online shopping, where as 50 (33.33%) showed moderate level of satisfaction and only 7 (4.67%) of respondents showed low level of satisfaction.

Personal Characteristics and Level of Satisfaction

H 0: There is no significant relationship between Personal characteristics and the level of satisfaction towards online shopping. H a: There is a significant relationship between Personal characteristics and the level of satisfaction towards online shopping. The data from Table 5 indicates that among personal characteristics, only age has a statistically significant relationship with satisfaction levels towards online shopping, as evidenced by a p-value of 0.03, which is below the 0.05 significance threshold. Additionally, the calculated Chi-square value of 10.50 surpasses the critical value of 9.49 at 4 degrees of freedom, confirming statistical significance. This suggests that satisfaction with online shopping varies across age groups, possibly due to differing digital literacy, preferences, or adaptability to online platforms. In contrast, variables such as gender, marital status, family structure, educational level, household monthly income, and familiarity with computer and mobile systems show p-values exceeding 0.05, indicating no significant relationship with satisfaction. This lack of significance implies that these factors do not decisively influence satisfaction in the study context. Consequently, the null hypothesis stating no relationship between the personal characteristics and satisfaction was rejected specifically for age, while accepted for the other variables.

Shopping experience and level of satisfaction

H 0: There is no significant relationship between shopping experience and the level of satisfaction during online shopping. H a: There is a significant relationship between shopping experience and the level of satisfaction during online shopping. The table 6 presented the results of Chi Square analysis examined the relationship between various factors of online shopping experience and the level of satisfaction during online shopping duration of online shopping. Variables like duration of online shopping experience, amount spent on a single purchase and mode of payment showed a statistically significant relationship with the level of satisfaction p=0.00, p=0.05, p=0.00 respectively. This suggested that length of time a consumer have been shopping online influenced their satisfaction. The amount spent in a single transaction is associated with satisfaction. The payment method used can impact consumer satisfaction. Other factors including frequency of online shopping, product purchased online and mode of acquiring information about online products do not show statistically significant relationship with satisfaction. This means these aspects do not have a notable impact on the level of satisfaction experienced by online shoppers.

Conclusion

The study conducted among college going students in Maharashtra's Parbhani district reveals that online shopping behavior has become well-established and is characterized by high levels of digital literacy, particularly in the purchase of fashion and accessories, reflecting wider trends in the growing e-commerce sector in India. The preference for cash on delivery payments was observed, indicating that traditional payment methods are still widely relied upon, and suggesting that greater emphasis on improving digital payment infrastructure and user education is needed to build consumer trust. Limited purchases of agricultural products were identified, which points to logistical and infrastructural challenges in e-commerce delivery systems for rural and semi-urban areas, highlighting potential for growth especially if aligned with initiatives such as Maharashtra's One District One Product program aimed at promoting local agricultural goods. It is recommended that delivery logistics be strengthened, consumer education on digital payment security be enhanced, and targeted digital marketing campaigns be employed by trusted local agencies to broaden engagement and satisfaction. Such measures are expected to increase accessibility and bolster online shopping adoption across diverse product categories and demographics in semiurban contexts like Parbhani. Young adults have been identified as a vital segment for the success of online shopping businesses, given their active involvement and distinct shopping habits. This group is generally experienced with online purchasing, regularly buying products such as clothing and accessories, and relying significantly on recommendations from friends and family. Despite embracing digital platforms, many still favor traditional payment methods like cash on delivery, reflecting a blend of trust and convenience. Their satisfaction tends to be higher when longer online shopping experience, monthly shopping frequency, moderate spending levels, and digital comfort are present. Leading businesses such as Amazon, Myntra, Flipkart, Nykaa, and Meesho focus strategically on young consumers by offering trendy products, mobile-friendly interfaces, flexible payment options, and social-commerce features, underscoring the influence of youth in shaping and driving e-commerce growth.

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