Abstract

Purposes: The study aimed at examining the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the shift of online consumer purchasing behavior and whether the new behaviors would be maintained after the epidemic season. The study also aims to investigate how online customers change based on perceived risks. Research design and Methodology: The study investigated purchasing behavior of the same 377 online Vietnamese consumers during two periods: (1) during the period of social distancing and (2) one and half year after that, allowing data to be collected in real time, so that consumers do not have to recall their behavior. Results: Purchasing behavior appeared to be more influenced by gender, age and household size. Aged consumers are more concerned about risks than those in the younger group, who only worry about the risks during the pandemic. Consumers in households with two or more people are more concerned about the risks than those living alone. Female appeared to be more influential in both during and after pandemic than male. Conclusions: The findings contribute to clarify shift of online consumer purchasing behavior, which helps business to develop effective marketing strategies and enhance their presence in the e-commerce sector.