Shopping Online for Freedom, Control, and Fun

TLDR

Online shopping is driven mainly by goal‑oriented motives, though experiential motivations are emerging, and websites serve both transactional and informational roles. The article aims to identify attributes that facilitate goal‑oriented online shopping. It discusses attributes such as accessibility, selection, information availability, and reduced unwanted sociality from retail sales help or shopping partners. Consumers report that online shopping substantially increases their sense of freedom and control compared to offline shopping.

Abstract

Consumers shop online for both goal-oriented and experiential reasons. However, goal-oriented motives are more common among online shoppers than are experiential motives. This article identifies and discusses attributes that facilitate goal-oriented online shopping, including accessibility/convenience, selection, information availability, and lack of unwanted sociality from retail sales help or shopping partners such as spouses. Importantly, consumers report that shopping online results in a substantially increased sense of freedom and control as compared to offline shopping. While consumers are more likely to describe offline rather than online shopping in experiential terms, evidence of experiential motivations for online shopping is emerging. Also, while closing transactions at web sites is one important e-commerce goal, companies should not lose site of the continuing importance and power of their web site as an information and communications vehicle.