Online purchasing behavior of fast-moving consumer goods during COVID-19 post lockdown period: A study in Kurunegala district

Abstract

Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) are items that are sold quickly and at a low price. Online FMCG shopping is defined as the ability for consumers to order and have groceries delivered to their home via the internet. The short term COVID-19 pandemic impacts are the widespread lockdown and the social distancing which destroys the traditional shopping behavior of the consumers. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, online FMCG buying from supermarkets is being used more frequently these days to safeguard people from COVID-19. This study can be useful to improve the e-commerce usage among the consumers in Sri Lanka and for supermarkets to enhance their online FMCG shopping method to increase the customer loyalty. To identify the changers happened in online purchasing of FMCG before and after COVID lockdown, this research was conducted as survey type research using quantitative data. The research design was an online questionnaire survey where data was collected through an online form. The target population was people who are buying FMCG from supermarkets and have at least one-time experience in online FMCG shopping, from the consumers who are living in the Kurunegala district. Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test revealed a statically significant change in online FMCG buying behavior before and after COVID-19 lockdown periods, z=2.66, p p<0.05, R-value is 0.16 indicating that the effect was too small. It is clear that online FMCG shopping behavior increased after the COVID-19 lockdown period. Online purchases were significantly greater during the COVID-19 lockdown periods than before and after it. When compared to the middle-aged group, the younger age group had a greater influence on online FMCG intention. Gender had no effect on online FMCG purchase intention. These findings can be used by supermarkets to increase the convenience of online FMCG purchasing by minimizing potential risk factors that influence their intention