Changing Consumption Patterns of Consumers Aged 65 and Older During The COVID-19 Outbreak: A Qualitative Research on Online Practices
Project no. 23861 · Status: Kapanmış · 2022
Summary
<p>The COVID-19 pandemic has brought forth significant changes in all areas regarding society. Particularly, people’s lifestyles gaining new dimensions due to this pandemic had determinative effects in the transformation of consumer behavior. One of the groups of people that is affected the most was the senior citizens aged 65 and above who were deemed under high risk. The precautions taken for this group had led to problems about them meeting their daily necessities. Additionally, it can be observed that consumption practices were already becoming increasingly digital in the pre-pandemic world and this age group is less online relative to their younger counterparts making them absent from online consumption environments. When increasing digitalization of consumption combined with the negative consequences of the pandemic, the consumption behavior of elderly individuals presents itself as a problem requiring academic attention.</p><p>Literature review reveals that academic and sectoral interest towards the consumer group including individuals aged 65 and above is insufficient. It can be said that researches regarding the consumption practices of the elderly consumers and particularly their online purchasing preferences before and after the epidemic are inadequate both in quantity and quality. Therefore, this study aims to describe the changing consumption dynamics of elderly consumers during the pandemic and present their online consumption behaviors in this process. It also aims to understand the dynamics of the consumption-oriented actions of one of the most affected groups of people and to illuminate the data that shows the online shopping behavior this group with the pandemic. In this context, in-dept interviews with participants that are 65 and older and have online shopping experience are conducted. The data acquired from these interviews are analyzed with the help of data analytics program MAXQDA. Through these analysis substantive inferences about the study group’s ability to use online platforms, shopping activities, buying practices during the pandemic period and attitudes and behaviors toward the use of internet technologies were made.</p><p>According to the results of the research, elderly consumers felt that they were discriminated against due to the restrictions imposed on them during the COVID-19 pandemic; on the other hand, this process became a motivating force for them to learn the internet and online shopping practices and understand the benefits and convenience of the internet. The acceptance process to this technological innovation, in which online shopping channels are used more intensively, also creates fears and concerns about issues such as security, mental and physical health.</p>