Influential factors on purchasing frequency in virtual bookstores in Brazil

Abstract

The scope of this article is to present exploratory research into factors that influence purchasing frequency in virtual bookstores in Brazil. Despite the growth in volume of sales via electronic commerce and recognition of the importance of purchasing frequency by clients for the profitability of companies, little research has been conducted into the factors that motivate purchasing frequency via the Internet in Brazil. A survey was drawn up, based on an interval scale of attitude measurement, assembling 33 potentially influential variables on purchasing frequency. The data, obtained from a sample of 84 people, was analyzed using exploratory factor analysis, revealing 12 items gathered into three influential factors on purchasing frequency in virtual bookstores: (i) services and convenience of the site, (ii) promotion, and (iii) price. In conclusion, after identification of these factors, three propositions for explaining purchasing frequency in virtual bookstores in Brazil are presented in order that they can be rigorously tested in future research.