Title: Online vehicle purchase behaviour and analytics among supply chain professionals: an exploratory study

Authors: Alan D. Smith

Addresses: Department of Marketing, Robert Morris University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Abstract: A study of 286 supply chain professionals' perception of their customer base was completed to test the present research assumption that for a wide range of products or services, the internet has been undoubtedly a significant catalyst for this change, and customers searching for and purchasing an automobile are no exception to the trend. The perceptions of these professionals are very important in spacing future policies and attitudes on logistics. In examining online purchasing of an automobile, there were 10 significant clusters in creating the independent variable constructs, which were tested against a factor-based dependent variable construct, New Vehicle Purchase Incentives. All constructs were verified through confirmatory factor analysis techniques. These were statistically tested to determine the factors that impact a consumer's decision. The exploratory factor analysis and specific hypothesis testing illustrated that the major factors for online vehicle purchases were convenience, purchase agreements, online resistance, personal security concerns, intensity of internet use, income and price, low-cost bargain searching, energy and fun shopping, access concerns, and work use and privacy.

Keywords: automotive industry; business analytics; CRM; factor analysis; manufacturing; online automotive purchases; supply chain; uses and Gratification theory.

DOI: 10.1504/WRITR.2020.108229

World Review of Intermodal Transportation Research, 2020 Vol.9 No.3, pp.264 - 296

Received: 27 Sep 2019
Accepted: 25 Feb 2020
Published online: 06 Jul 2020 *

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