On-line shopping behavior: Cross-country empirical research

Electronic commerce is a worldwide phenomenon. Many Internet users browse the Web for information on products and services, but very few actually make purchases on-line. Until now, research on the factors that promote on-line shopping behavior has treated them independently and at the national level. The present study, in contrast, uses cross-country data from 26 nations and analyzes constructs with a structural equation model (SEM). The study finds that the factors of trust and economic conditions, but not educational level and technological savvy, make a significant positive contribution to on-line shopping behavior. In fact they explain more than 80 percent of the variability in on-line shopping behavior. Empirical guidelines are provided to help managers select one or more macro-level predictors to explain on-line shopping behavior. Future research opportunities are delineated.