Online Shopping Attitudes, Need for Touch, and Interdependent Self-Construal among Korean College Students

This research explores how the need for touch (NFT) and interdependent self-construal are associated with online shopping attitudes (safety, fun, convenience, money-saving, and time-saving). Data were collected from 413 female and 278 male college students in Korea. Regression analyses with factor analysis were used for data analysis. Consumers who want to touch products have less positive attitudes toward online shopping. Consumers with a higher instrumental touch have less positive attitudes toward online shopping. Consumers with higher levels of autotelic touch have less positive attitudes toward online shopping for fun. However, consumers with a high autotelic touch have more positive attitudes toward online shopping for safety, convenience, and money-saving. Consumers who value relationships with others perceive online shopping as unsafe but have positive attitudes toward online shopping for fun, comfort, and cost reduction. There were significant differences between female and male students in online shopping attitudes.