Gender-generation characteristic in relation to the customer behavior and purchasing process in terms of mobile marketing

Research background: Today, it is an m-commerce platform that provides brands with the opportunity to foster their sustainable image and communicate with environmentally and socially conscious consumers. Proper communication that respects the customer's interests, conducted through mobile marketing tools, can be a key to creating a competitive advantage. Therefore, it is essential, at the level of scientific research, to broaden the knowledge base in the field of consumer behavior. Purpose of the article: The research was aimed at assessing ten purchasing behavior constructs in terms of gender and generation characteristics, as well as inferring impact on and assessing the difference between generations (Generation X and Y) and gender in terms of purchasing behavior. Methods: The sample consisted of 765 Slovak respondents. The Wilcoxon Test was used for differences testing. Partial Least Squares — Path Modeling (PLS-PM) was used to determine the general impact and the permutations-based method was used to assess the difference in impact between gender and generation characteristics. Findings & value added: The difference in purchasing behavior patterns between the categories of gender and generation was significant in most cases, with the most significant difference being seen in the Visual Appeal of an e-shop. The most striking general influences were recorded between Hedonic Browsing and Urge to Buy, also the impact of Portability on Hedonic Browsing and Utilitarian Browsing. These findings indicate the potential of retailers to communicate effectively with their customers not only about products, but also about sustainable practices and values while engaging consumers in purchasing processes. Proper optimization of marketing processes, in terms of impulsive and thought-through purchases too, positively influences the user experience and the satisfaction with the purchase process. These facts may positively influence the sale and, in a broader perspective, increase the competitiveness and overall value of the e-commerce entity. It is also worth emphasizing the long-term value for the customer, as the application of the model leads to better satisfaction of customer needs, thus to a stable growth not only of the organizations, but ultimately of the economy as a whole.