E-Commerce and Consumer Habits: A Comparative Study of Online vs. In-Store Shopping

The rapid expansion of e-commerce has significantly altered consumer behavior and disrupted traditional retail ecosystems, particularly in emerging economies like India. It looks into how online shopping is changing what people like to buy, how satisfied they are, and how they shop, as well as how traditional stores are responding. The study aimed to cover the gaps by comparing online and in-store shopping, relating consumer satisfaction and loyalty to digital activities, and studying how traditional shops are dealing with e-commerce changes. A mixed-methods design was adopted. The research was conducted across multiple urban and semi-urban regions in India, selected to capture the diversity of the retail ecosystem. The research uses both survey data and interview results from consumers and retailers in India's urban and semi-urban areas. In the quantitative phase, two structured questionnaires were developed. Both instruments used 5-point Likert scales and were pilot-tested with a sub-sample to ensure reliability (Cronbach's alpha ≥ 0.75) and content clarity. In the qualitative phase, interviews were guided by thematic protocols. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS and R. Descriptive statistics were used to identify shopping patterns and digital tool usage. It is evident from the findings that more people are shopping online and in stores, and online shoppers say they are much more satisfied. Channel type, age, and income are the main factors that regression analysis shows affect satisfaction. On the supply side, companies that fully integrated digital solutions into their stores saw their sales rise, but those who did not use digital tools saw their sales drop significantly. The research is based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), and the Technology–Organization–Environment (TOE) framework, which allows for a two-way look at how consumers and retailers affect each other. The findings show that retail is becoming more diverse, and they point out the need for digital infrastructure, training for micro-retailers, and policies to help close the digital gap in retail. The findings of this research give new ideas about how e-commerce and traditional retail are changing, and suggest ways to build more flexible retail systems in emerging countries.