Perceptions and inclinations of consumers towards the purchase of fresh agricultural produce via e-business
(Persepsi dan kecenderungan pengguna terhadap pembelian barangan segar pertanian melalui e-perniagaan)
Abstract
E-business has opened up vast opportunities for entrepreneurs in the digital business, benefiting them by reducing the operational costs including start-up and administrative costs, employee wages, payment of taxes and licenses. Online purchasing of fresh agricultural produce is still new among Malaysians. This purchasing trend is gaining popular in large cities such as Klang Valley, Penang and Johor Bahru. Nevertheless, e-business is expected to gain popularity and will in turn become a new trend in the future. A quantitative survey methods were used, through an electronic web-based survey to examine consumers’ perceptions and the subsequent acceptance of e-business for agricultural produce in Malaysia. Results from this study found that most buyers are adult female users, aged between 20 and 49 years, with a monthly household income of RM2,001 – RM3,000 per month. Total purchase range between RM50 and RM100 has the highest total respondents, whose household income are between RM1,001 and RM2,000. A total of 45% of consumers make purchases over the Internet several times in a month, followed by purchases once a month (42.6%). About 96% of the respondents, of which 41.9% are men and 54.3% women, were satisfied with the overall purchase. Factors affecting the purchase of these items include specifications, quality, price, and delivery services that meet the requirements of the buyers. In conclusion, the purchase of fresh produce through e-business has the potential to be developed in the future. Apart from changes in ICT and consumers’ lifestyle, consumers’ buying patterns will also gradually change in the future.
Abstrak
E-business telah membuka peluang yang besar kepada usahawan dalam perniagaan digital yang memberi manfaat kepada mereka dengan menjimatkan kos operasi seperti kos pentadbiran permulaan, gaji pekerja, pembayaran cukai serta lesen dan sebagainya. Pembelian dalam talian barangan pertanian segar masih baru di kalangan rakyat Malaysia kerana kebanyakan perniagaan ini hanya tertumpu di bandar-bandar besar seperti Lembah Klang, Pulau Pinang dan Johor Bahru. Walau bagaimanapun, e-business dijangka mempunyai potensi yang tinggi dan seterusnya akan menjadi satu fenomena baru pada masa hadapan. Kaedah kajian kuantitatif telah digunakan, melalui survei secara elektronik atau web untuk mengkaji persepsi pengguna dan penerimaan e-business untuk hasil pertanian di Malaysia. Hasil kajian mendapati kebanyakan pembeli ialah wanita dewasa berusia 20 – 49 tahun, dengan pendapatan bulanan isi rumah RM2,001 – RM3,000 sebulan. Walau bagaimanapun, jumlah perbelanjaan masih rendah dengan pembelian RM50 – RM100 bagi setiap transaksi. Sebanyak 45% daripada pembeli membuat pembelian beberapa kali dalam sebulan dan diikuti pembelian sekali sebulan (42.6%). Sebanyak 96% daripada responden, iaitu 41.9% lelaki dan 54.3% wanita berpuas hati dengan pembelian keseluruhan produk segar di Internet. Antara faktor yang mempengaruhi pembelian barang-barang ini termasuklah spesifikasi, kualiti, harga dan perkhidmatan penghantaran yang memenuhi keperluan pembeli. Kesimpulannya, pembelian produk segar melalui e-perniagaan mempunyai potensi untuk dibangunkan pada masa hadapan. Selain perubahan dalam ICT dan gaya hidup pembeli, corak pembelian juga akan berubah secara beransur-ansur pada masa hadapan.