Cultural dimensions in online purchase behavior: Evidence from a cross-cultural study

The objective of this research is to investigate how cultural differences affect consumers’\r\nonline purchase behavior. We reviewed the recent literature on cross-cultural\r\nstudies on online behavior and building on Hofstede’s theory of cultural dimensions\r\nand the theory of planned behavior (TPB), we developed a conceptual model\r\nexploring how the dimensions of national culture influence perceptions of website\r\nusability, trust, and perceived risk, which in turn impact on intention to use and\r\nonline purchase behavior. A web-based questionnaire was distributed to a sample of\r\n350 European and Asian consumers actively using Alibaba e-commerce platforms.\r\nThe conceptual model was validated through a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA),\r\nwhile structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to empirically test the hypothesized\r\nrelationships among variables. Results showed how culture significantly influenced\r\nwebsite usability and perceived risk in European consumers and, in turn, their\r\nintention and behavior. Differently, culture significantly influenced trust of Asian\r\nconsumers, as well as their intention and online behavior. With this study, we contribute\r\nto the literature on consumer online purchase behavior from a cross-cultural\r\nperspective. As culture emerged among the significant antecedents of mechanisms\r\nexplaining online purchase behavior, e-tailers should tailor digital marketing strategies\r\naccording to consumer cultural differences.