Paper Details

Name: Khushboo Zaidi & Neeraj Shukla
Country: India

Year: 2025
Volume: Volume-12, Issue-2 (July-December)
Page Number: 190-202
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17788309

ABSTRACT
This research focuses on the behavioral disparities between the urban and rural consumers of
Uttar Pradesh with respect to the online shopping before and during the COVID-19
pandemic. With a descriptive and comparative research design, primary data were obtained
through structured questionnaires from 400 respondents located in both urban and rural areas.
Major variables incorporate frequency of online purchases, control over the selection of
products, digital literacy, and payment methods. The study points out considerable
differences in the adoption of online shopping, trust, barriers to usage, and thus the urbanrural digital divide is emphasized. These findings are likely to offer understanding to ecommerce platforms, authorities, and digital inclusion initiatives, thereby allowing the design
of precise strategies to improve online shopping access, comfort, and adoption among the
various consumer segments in Uttar Pradesh.
Keywords: Online Shopping, Consumer Behaviour, Urban vs Rural, COVID-19, Uttar
Pradesh, Perceived Risk, Digital Adoption