Spatial and social heterogeneities of residents’ online shopping behaviors within a large Chinese city: The case of Weifang

Abstract

With the proliferation of digital technology, online shopping is burgeoning and reshaping shopping behaviors. Extant research on online shopping behaviors mainly focuses on developed countries and megacities in developing countries. However, large cities experiencing fast-evolving digital technology have rarely been examined. Using questionnaire data collected from online shoppers in Weifang, a large city in China, this study investigated the characteristics and further identified influencing factors of residents' online shopping behaviors. Generally, residents' online shopping behaviors were spatially and socially heterogeneous. Individuals residing in closer proximity to the urban center and those with higher socioeconomic status were more active in online shopping. This result supported the diffusion of innovation hypothesis, underscoring that the digital divide within large Chinese cities manifested as multiple confluences of spatial and social divides. Furthermore, residents' online shopping behaviors were substantially influenced by their socioeconomic attributes, living conditions, access to in-store shopping, and online shopping experience. A noteworthy bidirectional promotion of online and in-store shopping behaviors was observed among residents, indicating a tendency toward integrating online and offline shopping. This study enriches scholarly discussions on residents’ shopping behaviors and provides references for improving the distribution of commercial resources in large cities during the digital economy era.