GITAM INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT,

VISAKHAPATNAM GITAM Deemed to Be University

A PROJECT REPORT
ON

“Consumer Behavior towards E-commerce (FMCG)”

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the course

MMK 841-CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR

Submitted to Submitted by
Dr. Mallela Jyothsna Kandregula Leela Krishna
(122023601052)

Date of submission:20/12/2021
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

It is our pleasure to acknowledge and express our gratitude to all those who helped
us throughout the successful completion of this project.

We extend our gratitude to Dr Jyothsna Mallela, Professor of Marketing, for giving

With gratitude,

K Leela Krishna
 INTRODUCTION
E-commerce is the platform which is an online service for buying and selling over the internet.

E-commerce is a technology that refers to the mobile commerce, electronic funds transfer, online

transaction processing, electronic data interchange.

E-commerce is like online shopping for the consumers where we can find various products

which we used to consume.

E-commerce allows customers to buy a product from anywhere which overcomes geographical

barriers.

There are different types of marketers to conduct business through e-commerce fully Online. In

this business the product is sold and bought online there is no offline selling and buying and also

some are both online and offline which we can buy from online platforms or else from the retail

stores.

E-commerce is fully based on the supply chain management which the product is to deliver to

the customer.

There are various types of e-commerce platforms:

1. Business to Business(B2B)

2. Business to Customer(B2C)

3. Consumer to Consumer(C2C)

4. Consumer to Business(C2B)

5. Business to Administration(B2A)

6. Consumer to Administration(C2A)
Business to Business(B2B):

The business to business model involves the trade between two or more firms. The channels of

the trade include the wholesalers and the producers who are dealing with retailers.

Business to Customer(B2C):

The Business to Customer model of business deals with the retail aspects of e-commerce. The

selling of goods to the customers through online. The mode of buying to customers is easy which

they can buy from anywhere.

Consumer to Consumer(C2C):

The Consumer to Consumer model is like the consumers can sell their products to the other

consumers through the online. Example: OLX, Quikr.

Consumer to Business(C2B):

The Consumer to Business model is the consumer has an opportunity to sell their products to the

companies. The method is popular in crowdsourcing based projects.

Business to Administration(B2A):

The Business to Administration model deals between companies and the public administration. It

is like the exchange of information through the central websites.

Consumer to Administration(C2A):

The Consumer to Administration platform for the consumers is like requesting information or

posting feedback concerning public sectors directly to the government authorities.

As e-commerce takes an important role in online shopping, electronic funds transfer, online bus

tickets, movie tickets, supply chain management, Internet marketing, electronic data interchange.

In the Covid-19 pandemic the e-commerce has a significant impact during the lockdown period.

As the delivery of product to the consumer has been stopped in this lockdown. Purchasing of the

essential products are increased in the online platforms. Effectiveness of the online platforms and

the performance of the ecommerce websites.

● To understand the process of e-commerce websites.

● To understand how covid-19 has affected the e-commerce business.

● To understand the technologies that are adopted by the e-commerce platforms.

● To understand the e-commerce platforms how they handled this covid-19 pandemic.

● To understand the increase in online purchasing of FMCG products in this pandemic.

● Challenges faced by ecommerce platforms in this covid-19 pandemic.

● E-commerce impact on the retail and wholesalers.

● Technologies that are adopted by the ecommerce platforms in this covid-19 pandemic.

● E-commerce platforms play a vital role in purchasing FMCG products in this pandemic.
 LITERATURE
REVIEW

In today’s business, E-commerce is playing a vital role where the products and services are

selling and buying through the online where it comes directly to our home. E-commerce is

changing the retail industry worldwide. As we can find the various products in the online

platforms the products are like smartphones, groceries, clothing.. Etc. E-commerce platforms are

tied with FMCG companies to increase availability of the products through the online services.

The terms e-commerce and e-business are often used interchangeably which refers to the online

platforms. FMCG companies and online retail platforms have been adopting various strategies to

attract the consumers to purchase products online. To promote the products offering discounts

and various strategies are followed by the online platforms.

In this pandemic, E-commerce has improved their supply chain management and logistics. And

facilitates the connectivity between the companies and their consumers. FMCG companies like

ITC, HUL, colgate and Dabur have been tied with the startups in selling their products. And the

e-commerce companies are also adopting the FMCG products to attract the consumers.

E-commerce is based on the applications, technological issues and support and implementation,

and the logistics.

E-commerce platforms for FMCG products are like B2C which the product directly delivers to

the consumer from the companies.

E-commerce platforms can be accessible through smartphones, laptops, tabs and computers

which have internet connectivity.

E-commerce platforms operate in four market segments including B2B, B2C, C2C, and C2B.
 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research design: Descriptive type

Source of data:

1. Primary data

2. Secondary data

Survey Method:

Sample size: 52 respondents

Sampling Design: Non-probability Sampling

Data collection: Survey

Data analysis: Quantitative Research

We made a questionnaire in google form with 14 questions about the preference of the

ecommerce platform industry(FMCG) and circulated it to a group of 52 respondents consisting

of students, self employed, corporate, government employee via google form collect responses.

The sample group consists of different genders and different occupations.

Sample Size: 52 respondents

Interpretation:
Number of female respondents(59.6%) are more than the male candidates which is 40.4%.

Interpretation: From the above representation we can see the most of the respondents are belongs
to the students(78.4%) category, some are self employed(11.8%), corporate(7.8%), Government
employees(2%).
Interpretation:From the above chart we can see that most of the respondents chose the neutral
answer that the frequently purchased essential of FMCG goods before COVID-19 pandemic in
online platforms.

Interpretation:In this Covid-19 pandemic to buy essential most of the consumer preferred the
online platforms these FMCG goods are frequently bought from the e-commerce platforms
Interpretation:From the above chart we can conclude that the most of the consumers have been
purchased in online platforms for their convenience(63.5%) and for the better discount is about
30.8% chosen.

Interpretation:In this covid-19 pandemic, online buying increased as most of the consumers
preferred to stay home as it was lockdown period.
Interpretation:From the above chart we can conclude that most of the people were satisfied with
the online FMCG goods rather than buying in the retail shops.

Interpretation:From the above chart most of the people agreed for the e-commerce industry is
going to replace traditional offline shopping for FMCG goods
Interpretation:Most of the respondents agreed that e-commerce platforms in FMCG are playing a
vital role during the covid pandemic.

Interpretation:From the above chart we can see that the before and after analysis of the essential
spending with respect to the pandemic.
Interpretation: From the above chart we can see that the consideration of the FMCG products in
the post lockdown period.
 FINDINGS

● We found that most of the consumers prefer the FMCG online platforms for the essential

in this pandemic.

● In this pandemic, E-commerce platforms play a vital role for the FMCG essential goods

as the lockdown.

● We found that online platforms are more satisfying than the retail platforms.

● We found that the e-commerce platforms are replacing the traditional retail stores in the

FMCG sector.

● We found that the consumer and e-commerce platforms are adapting to the new

technologies.
 SUGGESTIONS

● E-commerce platforms should focus on adapting to the new technologies and create user

friendly platforms for the consumers.

● E-commerce in the FMCG sector should have been rearranging their logistics and supply

chain.

● FMCG companies should adopt new distribution channels and overcome the challenges.

● Major FMCG companies should partner with local delivery companies and online

platforms to improve their efficiency.

● E-commerce should establish more and more products to the platforms to attract the

consumers.

● E-commerce platforms should improve the technologies and avoid technical errors in the

websites.
 LIMITATIONS OF THE
STUDY

This literature review presents some limitations. First, the number of responses is not so high and

it is difficult to keep up to date.As a result, we have been forced to select responses in a reduced

time span, potentially missing some studies. Some questionnaire responses lack accuracy. The

study has been conducted over all age groups which increased mixed responses. Some people are

still unaware of ecommerce websites.

CONCLUSION

In this pandemic, We can conclude that most of the consumers prefer online platforms for the

FMCG essential products and also online purchasing of FMCG essential goods increased in the

pandemic with the lockdown effect. Most consumers are also satisfied with buying essential

goods on online platforms rather than buying on retail stores. E-commerce platforms play a vital

role around the global wide. Ecommerce platforms provide consumers with a variety of products

from the convenience and safety of the consumers. E-commerce helps in the safety of the

consumers by delivering the products to the home itself.

1. Kumar, P., and Agarwal, N., (2021). E-commerce: a catalyst of marketing especially
on

FMCG product under Covid pandemic. Asian Journal of Advances in Research.

2. Shreya Joshi, Nidhi Barucha. E-Business of FMCG Companies. E - Commerce for Future

& Trends.

3. Srivastava, P. a. (2013). A study of consumer behavior that influences purchase

decision of FMCG products in rural markets of uttar pradesh. International journal of

retailing and rural business perspectives.

4. Dr. Yogesh D Mahajan “Impact of Coronavirus Pandemic on FMCG sector in

India”, retrieved from research gate on October 16, 2020.

5. Dr. Saraswati C “The impact of FMCG goods during a pandemic" retrieved on October

19, 2020.