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Investigation into Online Customer Behaviour and Opportunities of the Food Shopping among Hungarian and American Online Consumers
31-43Views:449Nowadays, it is so much easier to interact with each other (two-way communication) from all over the world as never before. This possibility has only been available for a few people – for the military at first – but after some decades, it became accessible to everyone. Online customer demand increased a lot, for example by the big boom of Web 2.0. by Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook and by the introduction of Steve Jobs’ iPad. This topic is of interest, because companies from all over the world would like to find the most effective and cheapest methods to reach and keep their online consumers (worldwide). Therefore, they need to discover more about their consumers’ behaviour without generating high expenditure. This article focuses on the behavioural analysis of the online consumer (non-representative) population between Hungary and the USA. The background for my research consists of the awareness of the contents of e-markets. The analysed questionnaire was given out online (N=932) and people with high incomes (outliers) were excluded. Before the analysis of the database, I presumed that the consumers have a focus on online selling products and/or services. In this research we will examine the differences and identities of the behaviour of Hungarian and American customers based on online purchases. I have used Factorial ANOVA to analyse my database and found answers to my research questions about the most popular online goods and/or services. Furthermore, the differences and similarities of the behaviour between American and Hungarian consumers have been examined.
JEL code: E70
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Analysis of the Food Consumer Behavior in the Online Environment: Does Digital Food Consumer Exist in Hungary?
29-38Views:348In recent years one of the major players in the market have changed radically, the consumer. They have been titled as „digitally enlightened” citizens by various researches. The main characteristics of „traditional” consumer’s behavior have been discussed previously by numerous researchers. However research on digital consumers, especially in domestic circles, is still in initial stage.
The main objective of this article is to determine the online consumer behavior trends in our country, in relation to information and shopping in particular of food. At the end of this publication we intent to answer the question asked in the title, i.e. does digital food consumer exist in this country.
In our study we used the online consumer buying behavior process as base. Each step was mapped out by using relevant and current literature analysis. Using national representative survey (N=1000) we examined in detail the food-related online information searches and the shopping opportunities in online shops.
The convenience factor – similar to the description of the literature- is the most advantageous aspect of online shopping. At online shops the other factors examined convergence occurring in the median values show the uncertainty of customers’ purchasing behavior, which results in a lack of trust in food purchases.
Overall, we can conclude that the majority of literature and research on food consumption behavior doesn’t separate properly the online consumer’ roles and most of the emphasis is on the final purchase. Based on literature research, we have attempted to differentiate the digital food consumers based on online behavior in which the basis for the subsequent researches hypothetical fives categories were distinguished. -
Analysis of Food Consumer Behavior in Online Environment – Literature Review
67-78Views:665Nowadays new, alternative forms of sales such as parcel delivery, direct sales, telephone and the internet are playing an increasingly important role in commerce. Relevant literature and statistics prove the success of e-commerce at national and international levels. Our goal is to identify a segment of online sales where this performance is still low. Online grocery shopping has not been integrated into consumers’ life so far, compared to other market-leading product categories (clothing, footwear). During the secondary research, we conducted extensive literature analysis using national and international sources. Our main goal was to answer the questions about which product categories are popular during online shopping and what are the factors behind the development of online consumer preferences in the FMCG product categories, which are the influential advantages and disadvantages of packaged and fresh foods, and which are the sources of information that most impact customers. Overall, worldwide categories such as travel, books, music, events, fashion, IT / mobile, electronics are the most preferred product categories among consumers in the online retail environment. From its previously neglected position, online grocery shopping has grown and become one of the fastest growing area in the world. Factors behind increasing consumer interest include convenience, home delivery, 24-hour availability of online stores, and avoiding queuing. In addition, customers can easily access information before ordering through a variety of marketing communications tools. The most common information gathering tools are digital channels.
JEL Classification: M31, Q13
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Changes in Food Purchasing Habits During the Covid Pandemic in Slovakia and Hungary, Focus on Southern Slovakia and Western Hungary
55-70Views:860The global pandemic of COVID-19 has led to many drastic changes worldwide, not only in the economy, but amongst others, in the structure of people’s daily routines as well. Some developments have been involuntary – as social distancing, wearing masks, restrictions on travel, etc., but for others, it has merely accelerated the adoption of behaviors already gaining traction, such as the digitalization of shopping and more. Consequences of subsequent lockdowns and their effect on the consumers’ grocery purchasing habits and their implications for food retail had been investigated in our research with a particular focus on regions of South Slovakia and West Hungary in a period ranging from November 2020 till April 2021. The constructed online questionnaire chosen for data collection aimed to identify specific ways in which consumers changed their grocery shopping behavior during the lockdown (e.g., frequency of shopping trips, time spent in stores, the aim of shopping, purchase of ingredients, online shopping). The results of the online questionnaire underlined the main regional differences between the two countries. The overall outcome of our research showed the moderate reduction in grocery shopping frequency, minor changes in shopping location and partially increase in online shopping. Our results showed that although the proportion of online purchases has increased, such a crisis does not seem to be sufficient to overcome barriers to shopping, such as the purchase of a new, unknown product. But changes that provide positive experiences are likely to last longer, particularly those driven by convenience and well-being, such as digital adoption, value-based purchasing, and increased health awareness. This provides an opportunity for companies to offer innovative, value-based, and integrated products or services to meet customer needs. Companies and retailers will need to adapt fast, understand consumers’ preferences, and stay relevant.
JEL Codes: D12, D91
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Analysis of University Students’ Behavior Towards Online Grocery Shopping Based on the TAM-Model
3-19Views:396These days new, alternative forms of sales such as parcel delivery, direct sales, telephone and the internet are playing an increasingly important role in commerce. Relevant literature and statistics prove the success of e-commerce at national and international levels. Our aim is to identify a segment of online sales where this performance is still modest. Online grocery shopping has not been integrated into consumer’s life so far compare to other market-leading product categories (clothing, footwear). During the secondary research, we conducted extensive literature analysis using national and international sources. In the course of primary research, a questionnaire survey was conducted as a quantitative procedure. 501 students were involved from the Faculty of Economics of the University of Debrecen in this non-representative survey, in which we sought to reach as many cultures and nations as possible. Our main goal was to answer the question of the factors behind the development of online consumer preferences in the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) product category. For this the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was applied in the primary research. The Likert scale was applied to assess the students’ position on the topic. The 18 statements underlying the analysis were adapted from the researches of Radka and Martin (2018). After the reliability test, a factor analysis was made. The variables were compressed into three factors. Because of the better understanding, the exploratory factor analysis and the data reduction were separated. Principal component analysis was made on the statements belonging to each factor. Subsequently, a cluster analysis of four was conducted or four clusters for Hungarian and foreign students. The hypothesis about the attitude towards buying food online among the FMCG products is more reserved for Hungarian students than for foreign students has been proved.
JEL Classification: M31, Q13
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Affinity for Consumer Resistance Among Hungarian Consumers
29-45Views:135The causes of the loss of market results go beyond the realities of intense and noisy competition. The rejecting attitude and resistant behaviour of consumers can exert pressure on the companies’ business processes – several market examples draw attention to the weight of those consequences. To find out the appropriate way to handle this phenomenon became inevitable. The resistant behaviour of consumers exists in numerous markets and industries, among these foods are particularly concerned. There are examples for short and long term, but intense consumer indignation. Although consumer resistance is not a product- or market-specific phenomenon, it’s worth considering the issue of food, because of its embeddedness in everyday life, so market players may face easily criticism and conflict of interest. The study provides an overview of markets facing consumer resistance. The aim of the quantitative research is to find out the affinity of Hungarian consumers for consumer resistance and its various forms.
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The Price of Health – The Consumption and Purchasing Patterns of Foods with Special Attention to Price
3-16Views:172The economic events of recent years (war, the COVID epidemic) have had a significant impact on our daily life, including our consumer and shopping habits. The main aim of this research is to examine how food consumption and purchasing habits have changed in response to price changes, particularly for foods perceived to be healthy. Two focus group surveys were conducted to explore consumer habits on this topic. The period covered by the research was the consumer prices in April 2022 and April 2023. Our research explored general food purchasing habits and consumer motivations. We examined the extent to which products that participants perceived as healthy were purchased online, and the impact of price changes on the demand for health-conscious foods and on consumers' brand loyalty. We also looked at the online price monitoring system, where we mapped consumer adoption and the consumer benefits that the system provided. One of our key achievements is to identify a growing consumer awareness, with more and more people choosing quality, expertise and choice over convenience and price. The types of consumer responses identified in the EUROPA.EU research was in terms of products perceived as healthy in the wake of the price rise, although the proportions have shifted significantly; many are looking for alternatives, seeking substitutes for products; and fewer are the concern-averse, loyal consumers and the well-off but not engaged. Price sensitivity is increasing as a result of recent sustained price rises, with a small proportion of people who are not concerned. There is also a low proportion of emotional comfort seekers, a group largely confined to high-income consumers. For those who are not aware of the price of products, there is no change in brand loyalty and no brand abandonment, but for those who are price-aware, there is a tendency to switch between brands.
JEL-CODES: I12, M31, M38
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Chocolate Consumption Habits of Hungarian Women and Their Consumer Behaviour Regarding Sugar-free Chocolate
3-20Views:202In line with the global trend of health and wellness, there is now an increased demand for products that have a positive effect on health (or that are at least less unhealthy), such as sugar-free or reduced-calorie chocolate, especially among female consumers. Therefore, in our research, we set out to explore the chocolate consumption habits of Hungarian women, with particular regard to consumer acceptance of sugar-free chocolate. In the course of our primary research, we conducted an online questionnaire survey with the participation of 370 female respondents, during which we explored some elements of their consumer behaviour related to conventional and sugar-free/reduced-calorie chocolates; moreover, possible differences in the willingness to pay for sugar-free and conventional chocolates were also examined by using the packaging of two real, 100 g Stühmer milk chocolate bars and their modified versions as well. According to our results, the vast majority of women interviewed like chocolate, with milk chocolate being the most popular. Most of them eat chocolate a few times a week, but consumption of sugar-free/reduced-calorie chocolate is much less common. When buying chocolate, the respondents are clearly most influenced by the taste, which is followed far behind by the price, and then the healthiness of the chocolate. Most of the women asked are interested in sugar-free and reduced-calorie chocolates, the majority of them consume such products because of health awareness. The respondents’ willingness to pay for sugar-free chocolates is not lower compared to the versions sweetened with sugar, but the willingness to pay reaches the market price only in the case of a gift purchase; in the case of a purchase for one’s own consumption, it mostly falls short of it.
JEL-Code: M31 -
Drivers of Local Food Product Consumption among Young Consumers
21-39Views:297Future trends in sustainable food consumption include, among others, the expansion of short food supply chains coupled with a shift in consumer behaviour, e.g., a growing interest in product information, increased appreciation of trust towards local producers and locally produced food. There is a growing body of literature on local or alternative food to address the problem of consumer behaviour called the buyer's "black box". This paper aims to identify the most prominent drivers for the segment of young consumers for purchasing healthy and quality products: curiosity, uniqueness, and experience. We conducted this study to direct the attention specifically to the buying behaviour of young consumers, as previous research found this segment the most open to sustainable food consumption. A quantitative study was conducted on a large-sample survey with respondents aged 18 – 45 in Hungary. The questionnaire focused on product features, intrinsic and extrinsic motivational elements, and demographic characteristics. The findings of this study can support managerial decision-making and serve as a basis for further academic research.
JEL-Codes: A13, F64, M21, O13, P46 -
Analyzing Consumer Attitudes Towards Health-protecting Food
39-55Views:416The main goal of our research was to analyze the role of health-protecting food in our daily nutrition. In our secondary research, we analyzed the generalities and characteristics of health and health behavior with the help of relevant domestic and foreign literature. We analyzed the domestic tendencies of health in details. We examined the most important characteristics of functional foods and investigated the factors of personalized nutrition. Based on a literature review, in our primary research we conducted an online questionnaire survey with 231 respondents. Our survey cannot be considered representative, however, the proportion of genders in our sample population is almost the same as the Hungarian population’s. In the questionnaire survey, we examined the frequency of consumption of health-protecting food. After that, we analyzed respondents’ perceptions of the actual health effects of health-protecting food. We have measured consumer attitudes towards health-protecting food. We analyzed the perception of potential health risks and problems from the consumer perspective. We measured the impact of various health factors on shopping. Besides, we have explored our intention to participate in personalized nutrition-related programs. Based on our research, most of the analyzed health-protecting food is consumed once or twice a week. It can be stated that the respondents considered the examined food categories less scientifically proven. We could identify the preventive behaviors of respondents for various health problems. However, there is also uncertainty in the decision of respondents in what is the right way to prevent the diseases. In this uncertain situation, only experts can provide real help to them.
JEL Classification: Q16, Q12, Q13, O32
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The Transformational Impact of Industry 4.0 on the Wine Marketing and Wine Sector
55-64Views:99Industry 4.0 - like other industries - is transforming the wine sector. From viticulture to winemaking processes to wine marketing and sales, Industry 4.0 technologies have appeared everywhere and have proven to be effective with numerous best practices. It can be stated that sooner or later every serious market participant will incorporate some of Industry 4.0's solutions into their business strategy - otherwise, they will suffer from a difficult-to-catch and manage competitive disadvantage. This study summarizes the processes and main characteristics of the first three industrial revolutions, then analyzes in more detail the fourth industrial revolution and the concept of Industry 4.0, its events, the development opportunities inherent in Industry 4.0 innovations, and certain social risks as well. Subsequently, using case studies and examples uncovered through literature research, it illustrates the connection points between Industry 4.0 and the wine industry - primarily wine marketing.
JEL Codes: O3, O4, M310, M370, Z310, Z330 -
Impact of the Financial and Economic Crisis of 2009 on the Hungarian Food Retail Sector in the Light of Consumer Confidence – Improving Trends, Increasing Consumer Confidence
47-59Views:59As a result of the international financial and economic crisis of 2009, Hungarian customers started to make informed purchasing decisions. Merchants recognizing this phenomenon formed their strategies accordingly, while trying to meet the requirements of the constantly changing government regulations. This strategy ensured primarily that they could maintain their position in trading, new consumer expansion was, however, limited. Limited because consumers have realized the situation, i.e. traders have been competing for their income and complex shop visiting has become widely common, implying the weekly tour of different shops in retail chains with an eye on the current promotions. Based on the data of the last eight years, the year most affected by the economic crisis was 2009 – which proved to be the deepest point. It has to be highlighted however that though signs of recovery are clearly visible, the volume of food retail returned to its growth path only in 2014, while sale increase in value has been continuous since 2008. This suggests that the impulses of the crisis starting in the fourth quarter of 2008 formed the domestic food trade for full six years. Also, this period was required to regenerate consumer trust. The more favourable prospects of the finances of both individuals and the economy encourage an increase of willingness to buy. The six-year period impacted by the crisis intensified concentration among trade stakeholders. The forecasts proved realistic, supermarkets have become more popular sites for shopping, although hypermarkets as strong competitors have been able to keep pace due to tailored promotions in the 6 trading days permitted by law until April 2016. Due to the massive social and political pressure the Government repealed the Act prohibiting work on Sundays in most retail shops with effect from 16 April 2016.
JEL code: M30 General
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Preliminary Research in Connection with the Significance of the Traditional and Regional Foods in the North Great Plain Region
79-91Views:60The traditional and regional foods represent distinctive and unique values for customers in the world food market by their inimitable tastes and appearances. In today’s fast-moving world in which globalization’s different – both positive and negative – effects determine the daily activities of consumers and influence their needs, their choices and their decisions during the regular food and raw material purchases; it is relevant to strive for the presence and regular consumption of traditional products also to become known to a wide circle of society. The key objectives of our research are the main effects of traditional and regional foods in the Northern Great Plain, particularly with regard to the marketing and economic aspects approach. Our study is an experimental study of a later larger number of elements and representative survey, and it is based primarily on online questionnaires. During the research we received 151 available questionnaires. The interviewed inhabitants of the region have declared a positive opinion in the context of traditional and regional foods, most of them purchased and consumed these products regurarly.
JEL code: M31
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Qualitative Investigation of Salt and Sugar Free Nutrition in the Canned Vegetable Market
71-82Views:301“Free from” products as important components of a health-conscious diet are prevalent on store shelves. Our research is based on the analysis of the market situation and introduction possibilities of a potential canned vegetable that can even satisfy the needs of consumers for salt and sugar free meals. Secondary data and information collection provided the basis for further research. In the primary research, we used three qualitative methods, which were netnographic examination, expert interview, and focus group research. In the course of netnography, we examined consumer needs for salt and sugar free canned food on the Internet, mainly on social media, based on pre-collected keywords. The interview with an expert in the canning industry focused on the specificity of canned food and the position of “free from” canned food. Focus group research was composed to learn about the perceptions of university students about both canned food and their customers alike. Among other things, we have shed light on the fact that consumers associate the expression “free from” with the word health, but emphasizing “free from” nature of the product can create a sense of lack. Examining “free from” canned food, we found that young, time constrained, health-conscious consumers can be the target group. Due to the target market, we recommend promoting it on online platforms, where it would even be advisable to use educational campaigns.
JEL Codes: M31, Q13