A Study of Factors of Internet Addiction and Its Impact on Online Compulsive Buying Behaviour: Indian Millennial Perspective

Abstract

Compulsive Buying occurs when a person indulges in excessive purchasing overcome by social pressures and negative emotions. The main objective in this study is to garner insights into this issue from a marketing perspective and also to understand whether the millennial’s preference to avoid social contact physically but to crave for it in a virtual space has an impact. Conducted over a seven-month period with data collected and analyzed from 202 respondents in Bangalore, the study revealed that emotions like loneliness, depression, low self-esteem and anxiety encourage the respondents to go ahead and maintain relationships in a virtual space rather than engage in face-to-face interactions. Furthermore, it was realized that the growing Internet Addiction can also be positively related to online Compulsive Buying. This study is of high significance as it allows marketers to reach out and capture that segment of elusive customers who are always online and are guaranteed to make a purchase. Therefore, allowing companies can align their marketing strategies accordingly develop products and services, resulting in better sales revenues and repeat purchases.