The Impact of Digital Shopping on Buying Decisions: The Case of Online Shoppers in Juban, Sorsogon

Digital shopping became a popular option for purchasing goods and availing services when e-commerce was introduced and given a significant role in the retail industry. This technology-propelled phenomenon that creates an impact to the buying decisions of consumers. Probing the impact of digital shopping on the buying decisions of consumers residing in a rural area who tend to be the recent target of a fore cited phenomenon was the focus of this study. This descriptive study involved 80 purposively sampled respondents. Revealed the findings that the topmost preferred digital shopping applications were Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok which facilitated them to purchase clothes and apparel, home and office supplies, and beauty and health products. Digital shopping propelled them to purchase trendy products at competitive prices. The posted product reviews increased their consumer vigilance and were considered by them as a guide in selecting items to save in the add-to-cart button and finally for inclusion in the complete checkout process. These online shoppers had their satisfaction every time the products delivered were of quality, compliant with the specifications set, and promptly delivered. Likewise, they oftentimes posted reviews on social media of their shopping experiences as a mechanism to provide feedback. Further disclosed by the findings that the online shopper respondents encountered issues with the quality of the products delivered and a scam on the existence of fake online stores. Vigilance on product online reviews, informed decisions through shopping website comparison, following reliable social media influencers and the inclusion of the Department of Trade and Industry tips on making online purchases are among the suggested digital shopping measures to achieve smart buying decisions.