Does Gender Affect Online Shopping Behaviour? A Quantitative Analysis

The current study examines how gender, a significant demographic variable, influences consumers’ online buying behaviour by considering six predictors: Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Enjoyment, Perceived Trust, Perceived Risk, Perceived Ease of Use, and Legislative Framework. This study is based on a survey of 489 Bangladeshi online shoppers and investigates how their perceptions of online shopping experiences relate to the above six predictors. Factor analysis combined with multivariate analysis of variance was utilised to analyse the data. Empirical observations suggest that female shoppers experience greater enjoyment from online shopping than male shoppers, whereas male shoppers find online shopping friendlier than their female counterparts. Results furthermore demonstrate that females perceive online shopping as much riskier and less trustworthy than male shoppers. However, the analysis reveals no significant disparities between male and female shoppers in their perceptions of legislative adequacy and usefulness. Findings demonstrate that women’s online purchasing behaviour often relies on affective or hedonistic reasoning, underscoring the influence of social and emotional factors. Conversely, men typically exhibit a goal-oriented disposition, emphasising utility and product efficacy over emotional considerations. The present investigation broadens the scope of the “theory of reasoned action” by incorporating empirical evidence from the context of developing nations. This study also contributes to organisational policies by showing how men and women purchase online in similar and different ways. Finally, the current study emphasises that addressing gender-specific challenges by strengthening the nation’s legal safeguards and ensuring adherence to rules and regulations is essential for promoting safe and inclusive e-commerce experiences.