ONLINE REPURCHASE INTENTION OF STUDENT POPULATION - FINDINGS IN THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA

Abstract

Increasing the share of young generations in the world’s population increases the share of generations that function quite well in the virtual environment. There is growing competition among entrepreneurs developing the concept of online sales. The increasing competition also increases the importance of creating an excellent shopping experience to attract new customers and retain existing customers.The primary purpose of the research was to identify the connection between the online repurchase intention of students with previous shopping satisfaction, the assessment of the usefulness of offers, following the recommendations and reviews of other customers, and the sense of security and protection of students online. The research involved 101 students: students from the STEM field, students of social sciences and humanities. Four starting hypotheses were confirmed: a statistically significant association was identified between online shopping satisfaction and the use of repeat online shopping platforms in the future (rs=,616, p<,05). Respondents who are satisfied with online shopping express their intention to continue to use online shopping platforms in the future. Furhtermore, statistically significant correlation was identified between the assessment of the usefulness of product offerings through online portals and future intentions to use online shopping platforms (rs=,597, p<,05). Respondents who find product offerings via the online portal useful express intentions to reuse online shopping platforms in the future. A statistically significant correlation was found between students’ decisions to repeat online purchases and following recommendations from other users (available reviews, rs=.228, p<.05). Young people who express a higher intention to buy through online platforms in the future are more likely to follow the available user reviews about online shopping. A statistically significant association between the feeling of protection when shopping online and the intention to repeat online shopping in the future was confirmed. Young people who feel more protected when shopping online express a higher intention to repeat online shopping in the future. These findings have practical applications for companies developing online shopping in the B2C segment. Companies that deal with online sales must focus on customer satisfaction with online shopping, useful offers, positive reviews and recommendations of current users, and investing in ensuring the safety and protection of customers when shopping online. It is recommended in further research to provide a larger sample of respondents, a geographically broader scope of the research area. It would be necessary to include in the sample respondents of different ages, not just students or young people, in order to ensure as much diversity of the sample as possible. In this way, the conclusions could apply to the general population. The student population and young people are only one segment of the final consumption market.