Kazakhstani womenʼs participation in online marketplaces: Benefits and barriers

Abstract

This study aims to investigate womenʼs participation in offline and online marketplaces and identify related factors, particularly the digital divide, access to the internet, and the level of information and communications technology (ICT) proficiency. It discusses the empirical methodology of its two approaches: a descriptive analysis of statistical data and a sociological survey. This study employs quantitative analyses. The respondents to this study were women who used marketplaces in Kazakhstan. The model was tested using the data for 295 respondents. The results reveal the COVID-19 pandemic affected both the number of online purchases and the structure of those purchases: women began ordering more medicines and food, and less equipment and clothing online. The main factors affecting participation in online marketplaces are income level, access to the internet, and the use of ICT. This study tries to reduce the gap in the literature on the benefits and barriers for women by providing empirical evidence about the influence of COVID-19 on online marketplaces.