Device usage patterns and online shopping behaviour

This study contributes to consumer behaviour and multichannel literature by exploring different device-usage patterns in online shopping behaviour. This study expands knowledge of device-usage by distinguishing between browsing and purchasing in the shopping process. E-couponing is one of the fastest growing and more relevant phenomena of e-commerce and it was chosen as field for the study because of its device-usage diversity. The study provides a segmentation of consumers in terms of the device they use for browsing and purchasing coupons online. Data were collected by means of an online survey of subjects who had shopped on Groupon, a major coupon platform, over the past year. K-means cluster analysis identified four clusters who display different device-usage patterns and also different levels of behavioural loyalty to the e-commerce platform. We found that multi-device behaviours are dominant: marketers are advised to address multi-device shopping habits with appropriate strategies. The only cluster using a single device is characterized by the exclusive use of the smartphone for both browsing and purchasing. This “Smartphone exclusive” cluster displays higher behavioural loyalty to the e-commerce platform compared to other clusters. Marketers should primarily direct their efforts to provide a seamless browsing to purchasing online experience towards the smartphone device. Limitations complete the paper.