A study of online shopping behaviour is a relatively new discipline in marketing, but has quickly become a central topic, because the final goal of marketing is the satisfaction of consumers and generating profits. This research focuses on understanding the behaviour of consumers related to selected white goods in the Delhi city centres of NCR, specifically investigating the factors that affect purchasing and satisfaction after purchasing. The aim of the study with a focus on this economically significant and demographically diverse region is to provide merchants who are trying to earn money from one of the liveliest Indian consumer markets. Indian white goods industry has undergone a significant transformation over the last decade, with one of the most important developments being the rapid growth of electronic trading platforms as a viable channel for the purchase of these products. White goods that include households such as refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioning and kitchen appliances are produced for extended use and aimed to withstand regular use for several years before it is necessary. Almost every household has multiple items of white goods, making it a significant market segment in the consumer border segment. The shift to online purchase of white goods is a change in paradigm in consumer behaviour. These high-value items were traditionally purchased solely through physical retail stores where consumers could check them personally before the decision. With the expansion of digital platforms, inclusive information about products, virtual demonstrations, user reviews and competitive prices that made it possible to determine e-commerce considered as an important channel for purchasing white goods. Understanding the evolving behaviour of consumers in this digital landscape has become necessary for marketing success. Companies must understand what attract consumers to buy high-value white goods online, the challenges consumer face in this process and how their decision-making is unlike from traditional shopping in stores. Factors affecting online purchases for white goods may vary significantly from factors affecting puchase in stores.

The white goods market has seen unprecedented growth in recent years, which has been driven by several key factors:

• Digital Revolution: Increased Internet and smartphone usage throughout have easier access to electronic trading platforms, which allowed consumers to apply research and buy white goods online.
• Enhanced online infrastructure: electronic trading platforms have developed refined installation services and logistics network specially designed for large appliances and dealt with challenges in the delivery and installing of white goods.
• Viable prices and promotion: Online platforms frequently offer competitive prices, exclusive discounts and promotional campaigns for white goods to make them attractive alternatives to traditional retail stores.
• Extensive product selection: Electronic trading websites provide a wider range of models and brands compared to physical stores, allowing consumers to explore more options.
• Detailed product information: Online platforms offer extensive product specifications, comparison tools, customer reviews and evaluation, allowing informed decision making to physically examine products.
• Comfortable shopping experience: The ease of comparing products, prices and functions for multiple brands without visiting many physical stores significantly increased the experience of shopping consumers.
• The rapid growth of electronic trading in the white goods sector has caused manufacturers and traditional retailers to reconsider their marketing strategies and distribution channels. Many established white goods manufacturers have now accepted Omnichannel approaches, integrated online and offline experiences to provide the customer's trouble-free journey.

This research focuses on the analysis of these changing consumers' behaviour related to the purchases of white goods through online platforms. The aim of this study is to examine the factors that affect the purchase decision, the calls they face during the process of purchasing online, and at the level of satisfaction after purchase to provide special information for electronic trading platforms, white goods manufacturers and traders who want to earn a growing trend of online white goods in urban markets. The Indian white goods industry has undergone a significant transformation in the last decade. The changing lifestyle, increased income, the growth in the real estate sector, and aggressive advertising, together caused a significant shift in consumer behaviour. White goods include products made for extended use, designed to withstand regular use for a few years before the necessary replacement. Almost every household has several items of white goods.

Thanks to these unique characteristics, Delhi NCR is an ideal focus to study the behaviour of urban consumers in the white goods market. With its mixture of traditional and modern consumers, various levels of income and significant environmental problems, the region serves as a microcosm to understand the developing consumer preferences in rapidly developing city centres. A clear understanding of consumers' purchasing behaviour has become necessary in modern marketing systems, because the success or failure ultimately depends on the decisions on the purchase of target customers, whether individually or as a group. Therefore, marketing must determine the various factors that affect the decision to purchase consumers to implement effective marketing programs in different market segments, especially in various and complex markets, such as Delhi NCR

Literature reveals extensive research on consumer behaviour in the white goods market. (Talukdar,2020) studied the consumption of white items in Assam, which, taking into account the infection of equipment from luxury to objects, specifically investigating the rural-urban behaviour differences. (Arokiaraj & Sekar, 2019) identified brand reputation, value and quality as primary procurement factors for white objects in Trichy, emphasizing the importance of understanding consumer preferences in competitive markets. (Sathya & Indrajith, 2018) analysed the level of rural-urban satisfaction, found demographic variables weakly associated with product awareness, while the loyalty of the brand remains inconsistent despite the expectations of high satisfaction.

(Veerakumar, 2017) detected the processes of comprehensive consumer decision -making processes regarding the acquisition, consumption and disposal of White Goods, investigated the purchase pattern and duration of use. (Renugadevi et al., 2016) studied multinational white goods companies in Coimbatore, focusing on demographic factors affecting brand preferences and levels of satisfaction in urban-rural sections.

Contemporary Digital Transformation Studies have focused on online behaviour. (Sundari & Gayathri, 2023) reviewed the online consumer shopping behaviour, exposing technology-powered retail development over two decades. (Mittal, 2016) established the fundamental understanding of the behaviour buying electronic goods, emphasizing product facilities and price sensitivity. (Vijayalakshmi, 2022) revealed regional variations in consumers in Hyderabad, demonstrating the will of urban brand consciousness and premium value.

Recent research addresses digital challenges and opportunities in buying white goods. Studies identify factors promoting online shopping, including detailed information access, convenience and price comparison capabilities keeping in mind the traditional consumer preference for physical product examination. Research also examines indigenous brand preferences, cultural factors and ideas of stability, becoming increasingly important in energy efficiency purchasing decisions. Literature displays development from traditional factors (quality, price, brand) from digital effects (online reviews, e-commerce experience, social media) in shaping contemporary white goods consumer behaviour.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Understanding the behavioural aspects of consumers is of primary importance to traders and this knowledge is used to identify the needs and needs of consumers. In today's competitive environment, products cannot be forced to consumers. It is essential that traders recognize consumer preferences to ensure their own survival and success in a competitive marketing environment. The main reason for the study of consumer behaviour is to determine its role in the lives of the consumer public and institutions involved in the production and marketing of various types of consumer goods and services. Without such studies, it would be difficult to find out the exact needs and preferences of consumers. The objective of this research is to link the gap by providing understanding of consumer behaviour related to white goods with a focus specifically on identifying demographic variables and factors that affect purchasing behaviour and satisfaction of consumer during online purchase.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The main objectives of this study are:

• To examine the influence of demographic variables on consumer buying behaviour of white goods in Delhi NCR.
• To Analyse factors affecting purchasing behaviour of consumer in white goods

5.1. Research proposal

This study applied empirical research and uses both primary and secondary data sources. Research proposal is descriptive and analytical in nature, which aims to provide understanding into consumers behaviour regarding white goods.

5.2. Sample size and sampling technique

The study adopts the interview and convenience sampling method. A sample of 308 respondents (after filtration of data) residing in Delhi NCR region was selected for the study. The sample includes consumers from different demographic backgrounds who have purchased at least one item of white goods online.

Data collection

Primary data: The primary data was collected by using structured questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of demographic data, online consumer purchasing behaviour, factors influencing online consumer purchasing decisions, brand preferences, and buying satisfaction.

Secondary data: Secondary data was obtained from published research, magazines, magazines, newspapers, company websites and other online sources.

Data analysis

The collected data was tabular, processed and interpreted using the relevant statistical tools. The analysis of variance (ANNOVA) was used to determine whether there were significant differences between different demographic factors and consumers' behaviour in relation to overall satisfaction.

ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

7.1. Demographic profile of respondents

The demographic profile of respondents is given in Table 1 and reveals a  sample in terms of Age, Gender, Educational Qualifications, Occupation and Monthly Income.

Table 1:Demographic Profile of Respondent

The demographic profile shows a sample with slightly more male respondents (53.1%) than female respondents (46.9%). Most respondents (43.1%) fall into the age group of 26-35 years, followed by age group of 36-45 years (25.5%). Regarding educational qualifications, graduates represent the largest segment (48.4%), followed by postgraduate (32.4%). The private sector employees represent the largest professional category (46.2%) and the most common monthly income category is 40,001-75,000 with (41.5%). Delhi populations has more respondents  with (45.0%), followed by Gurugram (21.4%) and Noida (17.9%).

7.2 Factors influencing the purchase decision

Table 2 reports the average score of different factors that affect the decision to purchase white goods. The factors were evaluated on a 5-point scale, where 1 represents "not at all important" and 5 represents "extremely important".

Table 2: Factors Influencing Purchase Decisions

The analysis shows that the quality of the product, the brand's reputation, the price and service after the sale are the most influential factors in deciding to purchase consumers for white goods.

7.3 E-Commerce platform for white goods

With the growing online shopping trend, a study of electronic trading platforms used to buy white goods. The results are listed in the table 3

Table 3: E-Commerce Platform Usage

Amazon and Flipkart appear as dominant electronic trading platforms for the purchase of white goods that together represent more than 74% of online purchases.

7.4  Challenges face during the online purchase process

The study has identified various challenges faced by consumers during the process of online purchase of white goods. The results are listed in Table 4

Table 4: Challenges Faced during Online Purchase Process

The analysis shows that problems with the quality of product quality and concerns about the warranty and the after-sale service are the main challenges that consumers face when purchasing white goods online.

7.5  Demographic Variables and Consumer Behaviour

Anova was used to determine whether there were significant differences between different demographic variables at the level of consumer behaviour. The results are listed in Table 5

Table 5: Demographic Factor and Consumer Behaviour

The results show that there is no significant difference between different demographic factors at the level of consumer behaviour.

7.6 Purchase Factor and Consumer Satisfaction

Anova was used to see if there were significant relationship between consumers' purchase factors at the level of overall satisfaction. The results are listed in Table 6

Table 6: Purchase Factor and consumer Satisfaction

Significant level- 0.05

The results show significant relationship between the key purchase factors (product quality, brand reputation, After-sale services and Price) and overall consumer satisfaction.

KEY FINDINGS

On the basis of above analysis and interpretation of data, following are the key findings.

1. Demographic Diversity: the sample shows the diverse demographic profile of consumer with balanced gender representation, age distribution, education and income distribution in NCR region.
2. Purchase Factors: the mean score of Product quality (4.72), brand reputation (4.53), Price (4.41), and after sale services (4.37) depicts these are the most critical factors influencing purchase decisions.
3. Platform Preferences: Amazon (42.5%), Flipkart (42.5%) dominate the online white goods market.
4. Quality Assessment Challenge: the biggest challenge for online buyers is difficulty in assessing product quality (38.3%) followed by warranty and after sale services (32.1%).
5. High Satisfaction Levels: 75% of consumers report satisfaction with their online white goods purchase despite facing challenges, indicating successful adaptation to digital commerce.
6. Energy Efficiency Focus: 68% respondents prioritize energy efficiency, higher than the average of Delhi NCR consumer. 

LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The study has several restrictions:

• Research focuses only on four main white goods: washing machines, refrigerators, air conditioning only.
• The study is limited to the perception of the consumer and does not include the manufacturer's perspectives.
• Geographic restrictions to Delhi NCR, reduce the generalization of findings to other regions.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The following recommendations are designed based on the study detection:

• Enhanced after-sales service: according to survey, companies should focus on providing efficient and reliable after sales services, especially warranty demands. For consumers who prefer comfort, the possibilities of door-to-door service should be explored.
• Safeguarding Quality : The quality and reputation of the brand are consumers concern while buying white goods online. Companies should prefer to maintain high quality standards and building strong image of the brand.
• Upgraded product information: Electronic platforms should provide all-inclusive product information that includes detailed specifications, user reviews, comparative features and high-quality product images that help consumers make well-versed decisions.
• Clear warranty principles: transparent communication on the conditions of guarantees, service centres and procedures for demands is necessary to solve consumer concerns about sales support.
• Competitive prices: companies should accept competitive pricing strategies while maintaining quality standards to attract online consumers.
• Educating Consumer: Manufacturers and retailers should invest in consumer education initiatives to help online buyers make better informed decisions about purchase of white goods.
• Purchase contribution: Regular monitoring of consumer reactions and feedback can serve as signals with timely warning of product problems and help to improve the online consumer satisfaction level.
• Simplified process of purchasing online: Electronic trading platforms should simplify the purchase process, offer secure payment options, and provide transparent delivery and return principles.
• Focusing on energy efficiency: Due to the increasing importance of energy efficiency as a purchase criterion, manufacturers should emphasize this aspect in the development and marketing of the product.
• Custom marketing strategies: While demographic variables do not affect consumers 'behaviour, companies can still develop targeted marketing strategies for various consumers' segments based on their preferences and purchase formulas.

The white goods market is becoming increasingly competitive. White goods manufacturers and traders must understand consumers interests to increase sales. This study provides valuable knowledge about consumers behaviour in the white goods market, emphasizing the importance of product quality, brand reputation, prices and sales services when deciding on purchasing.

Research shows that consumers are increasingly turning to electronic trading platforms for the purchase of white goods, with the preferred selection are Amazon and Flipkart. However, challenges such as the problem with the quality of product quality and concerns about warranty and after -sales services remain an obstacle to online purchases.

The study did not find any significant differences between demographic variables with consumer behaviour at the overall level of satisfaction which suggest that consumer preferences for white goods can be relatively uniform in different demographic segments.

As consumer behaviour is evolving with changing lifestyles, values, priorities and social contexts, companies must adapt their marketing strategies suitably. Understanding the purchase process is of primary importance for marketing of companies because it directly affects consumer satisfaction and brand loyalty.

By focusing on the recommendations in this study, companies can strengthen consumer satisfaction, build brand loyalty and gain a competitive advantage in the growing white goods online market.

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