An Empirical Investigation of E-commerce in Egypt: The Impact of Culture on Online Purchasing

Abstract

The amount of e-commerce conducted on a global scale has grown exponentially as Internet access has become more widespread. However, there is a gap between the diffusion of online purchasing in Egypt and the overall usage of Internet in the country. This article aims to find out why there is a gap between Internet accessibility and the diffusion of e-commerce. The authors used an exploratory research as represented by the literature review which revealed two independent variables, one dependent variable and three mediating variables. The authors then developed a theoretical framework highlighting the usage of a single cross-sectional analysis. The authors then established and used a questionnaire as part of a conclusive, descriptive research design. The sample size was 113, with a 32.3 per cent response rate using a judgemental sampling technique. It was found that two specific aspects of the Egyptian culture, distrust and collectivism, impact Egyptians’ online purchasing behaviour. Demographics were not found to have a very significant impact with the exception of age. The article is significant as even though there are a considerable number of papers regarding e-commerce, very few papers look at e-commerce in developing nations, and rarely any papers have researched the issue in Egypt. This study aims to address the shortage while simultaneously providing recommendations to the Egyptian business community for increasing e-commerce usage in the country.