Influencing Factors on Online Purchasing Decisions of College Students

Abstract This study investigates the factors affecting online purchasing decisions among college students at Palompon Institute of Technology. Using a quantitative approach, 195 respondents were surveyed to examine the influence of price, trust, convenience, switching costs, information availability, first-hand product examination, and service quality on purchasing behavior. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, reliability tests, and regression modeling. Results show that first-hand examination, price, trust, and convenience are the strongest predictors of online purchasing decisions. Gender was found to have a very weak correlation with price sensitivity only. The study contributes to the consumer behavior literature by integrating demographic variables with behavioral determinants in the online context. Implications for e-commerce platforms and strategies for targeting student consumers are discussed.