Consumer Behaviour Analysis: Online Shopping & Culture in Australia

This report provides an analysis of consumer behavior in the context of online shopping, with a particular focus on the influence of cultural factors. It identifies three key issues: lack of brand loyalty, the impact of online reviews, and the need for unique offers. For each issue, the report proposes marketing-focused solutions and provides industry-based examples from the Australian retail sector, specifically mentioning Woolworths and Coles. The report concludes that understanding consumer behavior and cultural influences is crucial for online organizations to operate effectively and differentiate themselves in a competitive market.

Running head: CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR ANALYSIS
CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR ANALYSIS
Name of the Student
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Table of Contents
Introduction....................................................................................................................2
Three recent issues based on online shopping and cultural influences on consumer
behaviour....................................................................................................................................2
Proposing three marketing based solutions to the issues...............................................4
Three industry based examples related to the issues......................................................4
Conclusion......................................................................................................................5
References......................................................................................................................6

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Introduction
Consumer behaviour is considered to be a study which helps the individual customers,
organizations or groups to select, buy, dispose different ideas based on services and goods
which are able to satisfy their wants and needs. The analysis of consumer behaviour is also
helpful in examining the attitudes, preferences and emotions of consumers who are a part of
the industry (Al-Debei, Akroush & Ashouri 2015, p. 8). The report will be based on the
discussion of different issues which take place in behaviour of the consumers due to online
shopping. The influences of culture on the shopping based habits of the consumers will also
be analysed in the report in detail. The issues will further be determined with the help of real
life based industry examples.
Three recent issues based on online shopping and cultural influences on consumer
behaviour
Online shopping or internet shopping is considered to be a major medium of shopping
based activities which is used by the consumers in the current business based environment.
The activities based on online shopping are increasing in a continuous basis and this has
become a common trend among the young group of consumers especially (Schivinski and
Dabrowski 2016, p. 200). The comfort levels which are offered by online shopping related
platforms have played a major role in the increase of popularity based on these activities. The
developed countries and the consumers in these countries have been affected in a huge
manner by facilities that are provided by online shopping (Bilgihan 2016, p. 10).
Culture is considered to be another major factor that has a major effect on the
behaviour of consumers in the industry. The behaviour based patterns of the individuals and
their values and beliefs are also considered to be an important part of the ways by which
consumers behave towards different services and products (Bradford et al. 2017, p. 120). The

3CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR ANALYSIS
proper determination of consumer behaviour is thereby possible with the help of the culture
that the consumers belong to. This is thereby the major reason behind the success of products
in some areas and their failure in the other areas. The marketers are thereby able to position
their products in an effective manner with respect to the culture of which they are a part
(Carlson, O’Cass & Ahrholdt 2015, p. 15).
The first major influence of online shopping on consumer behaviour is based on the
lack of brand loyalty among the consumers. The consumers who belong to the new
generation do not have high levels of loyalty based on any brand (Vladlena et al. 2015, p. 40).
The most important part of the shopping based process of consumers is related to the prices
that are offered by the organizations. The cultural factors are thereby based on the benefits
which are provided by the products based on low prices (Cavallo 2017, p. 20).
The online reviews which are provided by consumers are able to play a major role in
the behaviour of consumers towards retail products on both the online as well as offline based
platforms. The culture based on online recommendations is also an important part of the
effective operations of consumer behaviour that is depicted in the industry. The personal
insights are gained by consumers with the help of different reviews that are provided by the
consumers online (Hong, Tam & Yim 2016, p. 25).
The huge number of choices that are offered to the consumers in retail industry are
important factors that are able to affect the operations and profitability of different
organizations. The consumers thereby need to be offered with effective reasons which can
compel them to purchase the products from a particular store as compared to the others (Kim
and Krishnan 2015, p. 2450). The uniqueness of offers which are provided to the consumers
can play a key role in the ways by which consumers are able to purchase particular products.
The engagement of consumers is also an important factor that is able to affect the purchase

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based decisions that are taken by the organizations (Karimi, Papamichail & Holland 2015, p.
22).
Proposing three marketing based solutions to the issues
The first issue which is related to the cultural influences on consumer behaviour with
respect to online shopping is based on the lack of effective levels of brand loyalty. The retail
industry of Australia also has been facing these issues based on appropriate behaviour of the
consumers. The loyalty levels of consumers can be increased with the help of proper
engagement and communication based activities (Lim et al. 2016, p. 30).
The second issue which has been faced in the determination of consumer behaviour is
related to the effect of online reviews on the decisions that are taken by them. The
organizations in Australian retail industry have also faced issues based on analysis of the
consumer behaviour which is based on the reviews that are offered online and their effects on
the decisions which are taken by the consumers. High levels of customer engagement are able
to increase the levels of loyalty in an effective manner (Martin, Mortimer & Andrews 2015,
p. 30).
The third issue is based on unique offers which are required to be provided to the
consumers in order to attract them towards the products. The consumers are attracted towards
the organization if they are able to provide services and products that are totally unique in
nature. The levels of uniqueness of the products and services need to be increased in order to
retain the customers (Pappas 2016, p. 40).
Three industry based examples related to the issues
A major Australian retail based organization named Woolworths has been facing huge
issues based on the loyalty of consumers. The organization is facing huge issues based on the
ways by which consumer base can be retained in an effective manner. Woolworths is facing

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huge issues based on the products that are offered by online organizations (Sandrin et al.
2017, p. 1300).
The reviews which are provided online are able to affect the sales and profitability of
a retail organization like Coles in the Australian retail industry. The organization needs to
develop effective communication with the customers so that they can influence the reviews
which are provided by them on different online platforms (Taylor 2016, p. 45).
The offers and opportunities which can be provided to the customers online are also
considered to be an important part of the sales and revenues of Woolworths. The organization
thereby needs to understand the needs and demands of consumers in order to offer the best
products and packages (Huete-Alcocer 2017, p. 1256). The products that are offered to the
customers by Woolworths are totally based on their choice and demands. Woolworths has
been able to develop its position as a customer centric organization with the help of the best
and fresh products (Martin, Mortimer & Andrews 2015, p. 30).
Conclusion
The analysis can be concluded by stating that the behaviour of consumers with respect
to online shopping can be affected in a huge manner by different cultural influences. The
cultural effects are able to play a key role in the ways by which different organizations are
able to operate in the industry. The operations of online organizations are largely based on the
behaviour of the consumers. The Australian retail industry has been affected by both the
online and offline retail based stores. This has caused a competitive environment and
organizations need to offer the products and services effectively in order to differentiate the
operations.

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References
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