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E-Commerce has become a vital part of corporate strategy and a driving force behind global economic growth. It has become an integral aspect of our lives and a highly successful business strategy. Mobile devices have overtaken laptops as the primary platform for e-commerce, with more than half of online sales expected to occur through mobile commerce this year. The rapid growth of e-commerce can be attributed to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which made physical business operations nearly impossible. This research paper aims to examine post-pandemic consumer behavior towards online shopping and the challenges they face. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 100 respondents in Gurugram city, employing percentage, frequency, and descriptive statistics for analysis. The findings indicate a shift in consumer perception towards online shopping after the pandemic, with 60% of young consumers showing a preference for online shopping. Essential goods are the most frequently purchased products online. Despite some challenges faced by consumers, the e-commerce industry continues to exhibit strong growth and holds promising prospects for the future.

1. To examine the perception of consumers towards the online shopping Post Pandemic

2. To study the challenges faced by consumers during online shopping.

Fernandes, Cletus. (2021) The study highlights that consumers prioritize Hedonic Motivations and Post Usage usefulness when forming their attitudes towards a purchase. These factors have a significant impact on consumer attitudes. Post Usage usefulness services encompass various post-purchase services such as support, exchanges, refunds, and more. Additionally, video tutorials uploaded on websites play a crucial role in enabling consumers to connect with the product.

Bhardwaj (2021) The study focused on examining the impact of the pandemic on consumer sentiment and behavior. It revealed that the Covid-19 crisis has led to significant changes in the behavior of Indian customers. Consumers now prioritize health considerations and have embraced digital tools and platforms for their purchasing needs. To adapt to these shifting consumer behaviors, companies should integrate these behavioral changes into their planning and go-to-market strategies moving forward.

Thakare, R. S. (2020) The pandemic has had a profound impact on consumers, significantly altering their daily activities related to work, travel, communication, and shopping. These changes have given rise to new habits among consumers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Studies suggest that these newly formed habits will persist even after the crisis subsides, leading to lasting changes in consumer values, attitudes, and behavior.

Vidya, M., & Selvamani, P. (2019) The quality and authenticity of a website play a crucial role in influencing consumers' decision to make online purchases. Consumers are drawn to visually appealing and colorful websites that are easy to navigate and offer user-friendly features. It is essential to prioritize security and privacy by incorporating more secure features to enhance the shopping experience and provide consumers with a sense of safety.

Hossain, A., Al Jamil, M. A., & Rahman, M. M. (2018) The study reveals that consumers encounter security issues such as identity theft and fraudulent payments while engaging in online shopping. To influence consumers to shop online, key elements include secure payment options, a variety of payment methods, attractive price reductions, social media presence, and positive references from peer groups. Any instances of fraudulent payments and the loss of consumer trust can disrupt their interest in online shopping. Consumers are highly concerned about the safety of their personal information, including credit card details, debit card information, UPI (Unified Payments Interface) pins, passwords, and OTPs (One-Time Passwords), as these can be misused by fraudsters.

Al-Debei, et.al. (2015) The study focused on early adopters and found that consumer attitudes are influenced by trust and benefits, with trust being positively correlated with a higher perception of web quality. Data analysis involved the use of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and an integrated model was developed incorporating trust, benefits, web quality, and electronic word of mouth. To examine the hypothesized relationships, structural path analysis was employed.

Kabango, C. M., & Asa, A. R. (2015). In developing countries like India, the government is moving towards promoting and developing E-Commerce websites. The government is responsible for making rules and regulations to provide end-to-end encryption for digital payments. They are building a secure and safe infrastructure that is only accessible to the government. Government laws are making a positive external environment by enhancing e-commerce platforms and allowing consumers to trust in online payment security.

Nabot, Ahmad. (2014). The study was conducted on Jordan consumers and revealed that the most important factor in online shopping is trust, online payment, service provided, and Timely delivery of the products. The main reason behind online shopping is time saved and discounted prices. the price comparison facility available to consumers helps them decide on the product.

Jusoh, Z. M., & Ling, G. H. (2012) online shopping involves purchasing goods and services and selling them using the Internet. Consumers have the liberty to visit web stores online and purchase as they sit in front of the computer. The study determines the factors responsible for influencing consumers’ attitudes toward e-commerce purchases. The study also focuses on how demographics, the pattern of online buying, and purchase perception reflects consumers’ attitude toward online shopping.

For conducting the research convenience sampling method was used an online questionnaire i.e. Google forms. Was prepared. Data were collected from 100 respondents across age groups and different working professionals & students. The study was conducted online, collecting data from various locations in Gurugram City. The study lasted for a duration of two weeks. The collected data was analyzed using bar graphs and pie charts.

1.1 Demographic Profile of the respondents

Particulars	Female	Male	Grand Total
Students	20	26	46
18-25	20	24	44
26-35		2	2
Service	14	28	42
18-25	1	2	3
26-35	8	11	19
36-45	4	11	13
46-55	1	3	4
More than 55		1	1
Self- Employed	8	4	12
18-25	3	1	4
26-35	2	2	4
36-45	3	1	4
Grand Total	42	58	100

1.2 Data Interpretation

1.2.1 Age

The below figure shows that the age group of 18-25 years is contributing to nearly 50% of responses, while 25% of responses are from 26-35 years. Similarly, around 20% of responses are from 36-45 and 10% are from ages more than 46 years. the maximum number of respondents are bachelor's and master's students or young working officials. The young age group of people is preferring more online shopping as compared to others.

Fig 1. No. of E-Commerce Users to Date

1.2.2 No. of Respondents Using the Online Shopping

Out of 100 respondents, 87% agree to use online shopping mode. 9% still stayed up to the traditional way of shopping. 4% are not continuous users of online shopping.

Fig 2: No. of Respondents for using E-Commerce

1.2.3 Most Preferred Online Shopping Sites:

Amazon is most liked by every kind of online shopper. Followed by Flipkart and Grofers.

Fig 3. Most Preferred Online Sites

1.2.4 The Preferred Mode for Shopping Post Covid-19

E-commerce sites are having in high demand since Covid-19, After the pandemic, 52%, of individuals still prefer both e-commerce and traditional shopping while. Around 24% of the respondents have shifted towards using E-commerce sites for their shopping needs. Approximately 13% of people were uncertain about their stance, while the majority of individuals expressed that their perception and behavior remained unchanged.

Fig 4: Preferred mode of shopping

1.2.5. Preferred goods During Online Shoppin

The majority of individuals prioritize using e-commerce sites for purchasing basic goods and essentials. However, furniture holds relatively less significance in their online shopping preferences.

Fig 5. Most Preferred goods (online shopping)

1.2.6 Persistent towards online shopping:

Even after the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers are inclined to continue making online purchases. Online shopping offers convenience, hassle-free experiences, and a wide range of offers, making it an attractive option for many. While some individuals expressed uncertainty about online shopping, there are others who prefer shifting back to the traditional way of purchasing due to their belief in the importance of a personal touch factor.

Fig 6. Willingness to continue e-commerce sites or not

1.2.7. Level of satisfaction:

Consumers are highly satisfied with e-commerce sites that offer good quality products at reasonable prices. The majority of customers, approximately 97%, expressed satisfaction with their shopping experience. Dissatisfaction was only reported by a small portion, accounting for 3% of the customers. On the other hand, a significant percentage of customers reported being either very satisfied or having a neutral opinion, with both groups sharing similar levels of satisfaction.

 

Fig 7. Level of satisfaction

1.2 The results of frequency for respondents' agreement with statements. Each statement is termed one module

Modules	Strongly agree	Agree	Neutral	Disagree	Strongly disagree
A1: Benefits	Frequency
1. On-time delivery of products	16	65	16	2	1
2. Accurate description of product available	20	54	19	5	2
3. Outreach of products, at any hour	54	33	5	6	2
4. Can compare and select the best products	27	40	15	17	1
A2: Dashboard Attractiveness
5. Easy-to-use website layout	26	40	28	3	3
6. Prefer a site, that is safe and easy to navigate	57	29	12	1	1
7. Website gives the best recommendations and high-quality products	32	45	11	8	4
8. Knowing about the website builds trust about safety and security among customers	35	43	16	4	2
9. A good website displays quality information about products and services	45	43	8	2	2
A3: Time-Utilizing
10. Online shopping is handy and saves time	16	40	25	16	3
11. Online shopping allows one to explore more about a product in less time	14	30	35	17	4
12. Online purchasing takes less time to analyze and compare products	11	25	30	24	10
A4: Safety and reliability
13. Reliable websites allow me to shop easily with security	6	33	20	28	13
14. Authentic website keeps my data safe	5	15	48	20	12
15. I like to shop online from a trustworthy website. Only shop from known and trustworthy websites and apps	50	43	2	2	3

Fifteen Statements were Prepared on a Five Pointer Likert Scale where the consumer rates the online shopping experience according to four Modules i.e M1(benefits), M2(Attractiveness), M3(Time Utilization), and M4(Safety and Reliability).

Table 3: Comparative analysis of four Modules

Parts	Benefits	Dashboard Attractiveness	Time Utilizing	Safety and Reliability
A1	3.93	3.83	3.50	2.91
A2	3.85	4.40	3.33	2.81
A3	4.31	3.93	3.03	4.34
A4	3.75	4.05
A5		4.27
Corresponding average	3.9625	4.064	3.28	3.35

Fig 8: Comparative analysis of four factors

The average score for Dashboard Attractiveness is 4.064, the highest among all modules. This suggests that Dashboard Attractiveness is the most influential factor for online shoppers in motivating them to shop online. Despite having the lowest score of 3.28, time utilization still has a positive impact, indicating it is also an attractive factor for online shoppers. Additionally, reliability and safety receive an average score of 3.35, which is above 2 and shows that online shoppers consider these factors important when shopping online.

Five major challenges faced by consumers while shopping online.

6.1 Issues relating to product quality:

A major concern for customers when shopping online is the lack of product quality assurance. The increasing presence of fraudulent vendors on online platforms has led to the sale of low-quality or counterfeit products under the guise of being original and branded. Many e-commerce websites function as intermediaries for merchants to promote their products, enabling these sellers to deceive customers and boost sales by offering inferior products. Consequently, the issues associated with online purchases are further aggravated.

With the expansion of online sales, quality checks on products have become infrequent, particularly during online sale events. Sellers may refuse to address product defects or provide refunds, leaving customers with substandard products and wasted money.

6.2 Logistics-related problems:

Shipping and logistics problems are another prominent issue associated with online shopping. During transportation, products often get lost or damaged, and the accuracy of order tracking systems becomes questionable. The option for same-day delivery or expedited shipping is in high demand, despite the additional fees involved.

However, there is often a discrepancy between the promised delivery timeframe and the actual delivery time. Customers frequently experience delays and have to wait for several days before receiving their orders. Returning goods also poses challenges for shoppers, presenting them with similar difficulties.

6.3 Payment issues:

Shipping and logistics pose significant challenges in online shopping. Products often face the risk of being lost or damaged during transportation, and the accuracy of order tracking systems is sometimes unreliable. Many customers opt for faster shipping options like same-day, one-day, or two-day delivery, albeit at an extra cost.

Unfortunately, the promised delivery time frames are frequently not met, leading to delays where customers have to wait for days before receiving their orders. Returning goods can also be problematic, presenting shoppers with similar hurdles.

6.4. Uncovering hidden costs:

Issues related to online shopping are increasing. One common problem is the occurrence of hidden fees on e-commerce marketplaces. Customers often discover additional charges such as taxes, shipping and handling fees, and other costs only after completing the transaction. Moreover, websites may provide customers with the option to make a purchase of a certain value to avoid delivery fees, but merchants may still impose extra charges even if the purchase exceeds the specified amount.

6.5. Ambiguous Website Policies:

Many e-commerce websites either lack clear and comprehensive policies or have policies that are confusing and vague when it comes to returns and refunds. This ambiguity surrounding product return and refund terms, as well as inaccuracies in product descriptions, leaves consumers feeling perplexed. When there are no well-defined policies in place, retailers are more likely to reject customers' requests for returns or refunds. Additionally, some websites provide inadequate information about product warranties and guarantees, leading to instances where buyers unknowingly purchase substandard products without any warranty or option for replacement.While online shopping offers the convenience of finding great product deals at affordable prices from the comfort of one's home, consumers are still susceptible to encountering these aforementioned issues, particularly during sale festivals or online discount events.

The experience of living during the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world in which we live and it has had a great impact on consumer behavior. The changes such as digital adoption and value-based buying behavior that provide positive experiences like convenience and well-being are likely to last longer. In the emerging post-pandemic reality, the demand in the e-commerce industry looks fairly robust. It is for sure that there will be some realignment in brand as well as category preferences but on the whole, this sector is poised for growth. This provides a chance for the retailers to offer something unique, innovative, modular, and value-based products to satisfy the customer’s needs. They have become more aware, demanding, and quality conscious and at the same time, they want these qualities to fit into their budget. Retailers need to understand consumers' preferences to stay relevant, reachable, and affordable and can adapt accordingly.

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