"CONSUMER BEHAVIOR IN RURAL E-COMMERCE: UNDERSTANDING FARMERS' PREFERENCES FOR ONLINE SHOPPING PLATFORMS IN HARYANA"

Abstract

This study investigates the factors influencing consumer preferences for online shopping platforms among farmers in Haryana, India. Utilizing a sample of 397 respondents, the research employs Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), multiple regression, One-way ANOVA, and Chi-square tests to analyze the impact of price, quality, security, website design, and convenience on platform preference. The results reveal that website design and convenience, price, quality, and security significantly affect farmers' online shopping platform choices. Among the platforms evaluated, DeHaat emerged as the most preferred, followed by BigHaat, Flipkart, KrishiBazar, Amazon, AgriBegri and NinjaCart. The study highlights the importance of optimizing these key factors to enhance farmers satisfaction and loyalty in the competitive online retail market. The findings provide valuable insights for online retailers aiming to better cater to the needs of the agricultural community.