Comparing Online Shopping Behaviour Between the Pre-COVID-19 Pandemic and COVID-19 Pandemic Period in Türkiye

The recent explosive expansion of online buying has made it necessary to carefully identify the critical variables influencing customer behaviour and attitudes regarding online shopping. Although internet sales have increased globally since the pandemic began, little is known about the variables influencing this behaviour. This study aims to identify the variables affecting adults over 15 in Türkiye’s e-commerce use before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study used micro datasets from the Household Information Technologies (IT) Usage Survey conducted by the Turkish Statistical Institute in 2018 and 2021. Additionally, the multinomial probit regression analysis was employed. According to the study, it was concluded that as people age, their likelihood of engaging in e-commerce decreases. The study found that individuals with a higher level of education are more likely to use e-commerce. Furthermore, it found that individuals who use e-government services engage in e-commerce more frequently than others. The study’s findings may help inform academics and decision-makers about promoting e-commerce during emergencies, such as pandemics in developing nations, to increase the volume of e-commerce shopping in Türkiye.