ONLINE FOOD PURCHASE BEHAVIOR OF DHAKA CITY DWELLERS

Online food shopping has grown in popularity over the past few years. Purchasing ready-to-eat food via an online platform provides consumers with an alternative to taking the hassle of cooking or going out, commuting, facing traffic, and reaching out to a restaurant for food, especially when they are very busy. Thus, online food purchase saves time and energy. The purpose of this study is to analyze the demographic factors that play role in shaping the online food purchase behavior of consumers. Data were collected through an online and offline survey. Descriptive analysis, independent samples t-test, oneway ANOVA, Pearson product-moment correlation, multiple regression, Chisquare test of independence, and modal analysis are performed to explore the influence of demographic factors on expenditure, purchase frequency, and food type preference of the buyers. Findings suggest that consumers spend equally irrespective of their gender and profession. However, postgraduates spend the most buying food online. Moreover, the propensity to spend on online food increases with age and income. Males order online food at the same pace as females. The study discovers that youngsters, adolescents, private job holders, and consumers willing to spend more to buy online food, make purchases almost every week. Another interesting observation is that the respondents of all demographic profiles have a penchant for fast food. Nonetheless, more orders for fast food come from males, students, early adults (30-45 years), and high income groups than the other demographic segment. Food sector businesses must comprehend the demographic and behavioral factors that influence users’ tendency to buy food online. The results of this research can help them better understand consumers’ ready-to-eat food shopping behavior, maintain the loyalty of their customers, and outline unique business strategies consistent with consumer behavior and preferences and hence gain a competitive edge over other rivals.