CREATIVE MIDDLE SCHOOL

07 Lalaine Bennet corner Gloria Diaz Streets,

BF Resort Village, Las Piñas City

HOW DOES ONLINE SHOPPING AFFECT THE SPENDING

HABITS OF TEENAGERS DURING THE PANDEMIC?

A Research Presented by:

Cesar Joshua F. Pulhin

Nathan A. Rocha
Keith Andrew M. Tan
Maria Elisha Kaye B. Nazario
Ruth Martha S. Suaverdez

In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements in English 10

APRIL 2022
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1 - THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND 3

Introduction 3
Statement of the Problem 6
Statement of the Hypothesis 7
Scope and limitations 7
Significance of the study 7
Definition of Terms 8

CHAPTER 2 - RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 9

Research Design 9
Research Locale 9
Population and Sampling 9
Instrumentation 10
Data Gathering Procedure 10

CHAPTER 3 - SUMMARY OF FINDINGS 11

Summary of Findings 11
Conclusions 12
Recommendations 13
References 14

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 Chapter 1
The Problem and its Background

Online shopping as defined by MasterCard Worldwide Insights (2008) is the process of

purchasing goods and services from merchants who sell over the internet. Generally, it is also

known as internet buying, electronic shopping, online purchasing or internet shopping. Kim

(2004) further defined internet shopping as examining, searching for, browsing for or looking at a

product to get more information with the possible intention of purchase on the Internet. By

looking at other perspectives, Chiu et al (2009) considered online shopping as an exchange of

time, effort and money for receiving products or services. (Siva, 2019)

Throughout the last decade, online shopping has increased intensely which has both

merits and demerits that hugely impact on teenager's behavior. Nowadays, people’s lives are

busier than that in the past, they do not spend time on going shopping anymore. Instead, people

prefer online shopping which has become popular in the past few years because of its convenient,

time efficiency, the diversity of products and so on. People now can purchase almost everything

while staying at home. Online shopping is also a choice for those teenagers who want to have a

part-time job but do not feel like leaving their houses. (KalilahB, 2020)

Since the late 1990s, online shopping has taken off as an increasing number of consumers

purchase increasingly diversified products on the Internet. Moreover, Internet users’ ability to

shop online has significantly improved from 16% to 32% since March 2001. Given that how to

attract and retain consumers is critical to the success of online retailers, research on the

antecedents of consumer acceptance of online shopping has attracted widespread attention. (Zhou,

2007)

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 There are several advantages to shopping online as described here: it is convenient, has

better prices, a wider selection, allows you to send gifts to more people, has more control, allows

for easy price comparisons, and there is no pressure or crowd. Although online shopping may be

fun and exciting, there are issues or realities that we have to face when we receive the package. It

has quality issues as reviews are not always reliable. Research cannot assure you of a product's

quality; fraudulent sellers who intentionally mislead customers to increase sales are the prime

reason for faulty/sub-par products being sold online. It occurs with delivery and logistics issues,

and while all e-commerce sites have order tracking systems for their customers, they are not

always accurate.

The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed the world as we know it. People

are living differently, buying differently and in many ways, thinking differently. Supply chains

have been tested. Retailers are closing doors. Consumers across the globe are looking at products

and brands through a new lens. The virus is reshaping the consumer goods industry in real time,

rapidly accelerating long-term underlying trends in the space of mere weeks. Consumers are

increasingly worried about the health and economic effects of COVID-19. People are responding

in a number of ways and have differing attitudes, behaviours and buying habits. (Machado, 2021)

As a person grows older and enters adolescence, the likelihood is that we will receive a

tiny stipend from our parents: a family allowance. A teen may also have the option of working

part-time or starting a small business, which opens up new avenues for them to obtain additional

sources of revenue. An adolescent's first tendency could be to spend money on luxury and

shopping, but with the coronavirus outbreak, commerce has altered. The COVID-19 pandemic

has forced consumers of all ages locked indoors to rely on the internet to purchase their wants and

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needs. Retailers' styles have also changed owing to the coronavirus outbreak, prompting them to

invest in their online presence and delivery services.

However, even if online shopping presents the convenience to save time and effort, it's

really difficult for teenagers to tell whether the product that they are purchasing that they truly

want in exchange for their money is worth it or not. This is because when teenagers are shopping

online, they are only capable of seeing the images of the item that they are interested in; not being

able to feel the quality it presents, with the uncertainty of getting the exact product being

advertised online. Needless to say, the package will go through different stages before it arrives

that can damage or destroy them, making its value go down and possibly making the consumers

avoid buying from the internet again as well. Not just that, but the products they buy might not be

able to meet their expectations, thus making the consumers buy another one until they get the

satisfaction that they are looking for, which could cost them significant amounts of money.

As one of the most important factors in shopping online, security can guarantee the

customer’s loyalty to the website or app since they know that their information is secure. Online

shopping may be less stressful, but the sites used for them may end in malicious attacks. For

young users of a platform, whose perspective on online shopping has not fully developed yet,

some websites might mislead them and steal their information for their personal gain. (Aseri,

2021).

Knowing when it is safe to shop or not is important when browsing the internet, as

dismissing the lack of information, or even digesting the wrong information, can lead to

disastrous results. This should make the young consumer wary when buying items online. In

recent years, learning what is safe or what is not safe online has been normalized. Despite this,

the recent pandemic has brought a new wave of people to the internet, with some being entirely

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unaware of its dangers. Educating people who are not used to the online experience can help them

understand and avoid the risks when shopping online.

With the COVID crisis reshaping lives, teens of Generation Z are adjusting to the new

normal on the fly, and their buying habits and brand preferences have become very adaptable and

varied. Because online shopping is so convenient, people may feel compelled to buy whatever

goods they see without realizing how much they're spending or how risky some purchases are. It

could be from boredom, a need to pass the time, enticing discount offers, or innate spending

habits. These spending habits may have existed before the sudden rise of e-commerce caused by

the pandemic. While some teenagers believe that restrictions and the availability of online

shopping has affected their spending habits, others believe that their purchasing habits, whether

mild or extreme, have not changed.

Statement of the Problem

This study aims to answer the following questions:

1. How does online shopping affect the spending habits of teenagers during the pandemic?

2. Does online shopping have a heavy effect on students?

3. How can we control the spending habits of teenagers?

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Statement of the Hypotheses

Ho: Online shopping has no effect on the spending habits of teenagers.

Ha: Online shopping has an effect on the spending habits of teenagers.

Scope and Limitations

The research will be conducted on high school students from Luzon.

Significance of the study

The study aims to help the following:

Researchers It will aid other researchers by providing a

summary of teenagers’ spending habits during

the pandemic and its effects.

Teenagers It will teach teenagers how to keep track of their

spendings and save money.

Parents It will assist parents in addressing their teen's

spending habits, instilling financial

responsibility, setting boundaries, and serving as

a good role model.

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Definition of Terms

Consumer. A person who purchases products or services for personal use and consumption.

E-commerce. The purchasing and selling of goods and services, as well as the transfer of

payments or data, over an electronic network.

Online Shopping. The act of purchasing products or services over the internet.

Product. An object that can be sold to a market to fulfill a want or need.

Spending Habits. A set of involuntary patterns and practices that a person has when it comes to

spending money on experiences, services, and goods.

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 Chapter 2
Research Methodology

Research Design

The researchers will design this study as quantitative research to better understand the

consequences of online shopping on teenagers. Although their objectives coincide in many

aspects, there are differences between quantitative and qualitative research design. The former

relies on measuring and analyzing data from surveys to arrive at an objective answer to the

problem stated. The latter focuses on generating meaning through observation and interviews to

understand and describe a hypothesis.

Research Locale

The researcher will conduct a survey all around Luzon. Luzon sits at the northern end of

the Philippines, and is the country’s largest and most populous island. It’s known for its

mountains, beaches and coral reefs, and is home to Manila, the national capital. Set on a deep bay

with famed sunsets, the city has many Spanish-colonial landmarks, national memorials and

monuments, a centuries-old Chinatown and a diversity of museums.

Population and Sampling

The researcher will conduct a survey with 10 online shoppers as their respondents. Their

ages will range from thirteen to nineteen years old. The researchers will use random sampling - a

type of method where individuals are chosen randomly from a large population size. Moreover,

given its nature, the respondent’s financial stability will not determine whether they get chosen or

not.

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Instrumentation and Data Gathering procedure

The researcher will use a quantitative survey form that will thoroughly enhance and

sustain each other’s intellect. The form will be used to collect other people’s opinion, suggestions,

exhortation and interpretation regarding the topic. The following are the survey questions:

1. Do you like the idea of having a lot of apps for online shopping?

2. Are you aware that the product you are buying might not meet your expectations?

3. Are you satisfied with the time given for your package to be delivered?

4. Do you find online shopping addicting?

5. Are you still shopping online to this day?

6. Do you shop during monthly sales?

7. Do you have a monthly allowance?

8. Do you apply for vouchers or discounts?

9. Does your savings get severely affected by online shopping?

10. Do you limit your spendings in online shopping for your savings?

11. Do you make use of spending plans or budget apps?

12. Do you spend more than 1,000 pesos shopping online?

13. Do you keep track of how much you spend on online shopping?

14. Do you have the urge to spend immediately the moment you’re given cash?

15. Do you let your parents know how much you spend?

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 Chapter 3
Presentation of data and Summary of Findings

This chapter contains the data gathered as well as the researcher's summary of findings.

The first question of this research was to find out if online shopping affects the spendings

of teenagers during the pandemic.. The second seeks to determine whether online shopping has a

heavy effect on students. The last question aims to find out how we may manage teenagers’

spending habits .

The result of the survey was presented in Figure 1.

Question Yes No

1 8 2

2 10 0

3 9 1

4 7 3

5 8 2

6 8 2

7 6 4

8 6 4

9 3 7

10 9 1

11 2 8

12 5 5

13 6 4

14 4 6

15 8 2
Figure 1.

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 The number of people that responded to the survey is shown in Figure 1. The statistics

alone indicate that the majority of respondents answered "Yes."

Figure 2.

Figure 2 shows the graphical representation of the tallied survey answers.

Survey questions 1, 4, and 5 are directed to answer how online shopping affects the

spending habits of teenagers during the pandemic. Most of the respondents have answered "Yes,"

which means that online shopping does affect the spending habits of teenagers during the

pandemic. Questions 2 and 3 reveal that although the majority of respondents found online

shopping addictive, they are aware of its drawbacks.

Questions 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 are meant to answer the statement of the problem, “Does

online shopping have a heavy effect on students?”. Most of the respondents responded with

“Yes'', which means that online shopping does have an effect on students. Although most

respondents on survey question 9 responded with “no '', indicating that their savings, in particular,

is not heavily affected by online shopping.

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 Questions 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 are directed to answer how teenager’s can control their

spending habits. Based on the survey results, most teenagers know how to limit their spendings

and keep track of how much they spend. While the majority of respondents do not use budgeting

apps, they do not feel compelled to spend money immediately after receiving it, and they inform

their parents how much they spend.

The findings revealed that online shopping has an effect on teenagers spending habits

during the pandemic, hence rejecting our null hypothesis. Many people have become addicted to

internet shopping as a result of the convenience of doing so during the pandemic, but most people

are aware of their spending limits and how to curb their temptation to spend. Despite the fact that

the majority of respondents do not make budget plans, they are able to keep track of their

expenditures and shop responsibly.

Recommendations

The research aims to help other researchers, teenagers, and parents.. It will aid other

researchers by providing a summary of teenagers’ spending habits during the pandemic and its

effects. It will also teach teenagers how to keep track of their spendings and save money. Lastly, It

will assist parents in addressing their teen's spending habits, instilling financial responsibility,

setting boundaries, and serving as a good role model.

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REFERENCES

WEBSITES

KalilahB. "An Essay About How Online Shopping Impact On Teenagers' Behavior." English
Forums, Singapore Management University. 7 March 2020.
https://www.englishforums.com/English/AnEssayAboutOnlineShoppingImpact-TeenagersBehavio
r/bxxzmh/post.htm

JOURNALS
Aseri, Abdulah. Security Issues For Online Shoppers. International Journal of Scientific and
Technology Research. March 2021. 10(3):112-116
Machado, Natasha. Impact of COVID-19 on Consumer Spending Habits. EPRA International
Journal of Research and Development. April 2021: 114-115.
Siva, Chandru. Impact of Online Learning on Teenagers Buying Behaviours. The Online Journal of
Distance Education and e-Learning. April 2019.
Zhou, Lina. Online Shopping Acceptance Model. Journal of Electronic Commerce Research. 2007: 41

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