A profile of the Internet shoppers: Evidence from nine countries

• We studied the Internet shoppers profile from Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan.
• This study formed a comparison of the Internet shoppers’ profile of nine countries.
• The similarities and differences of Internet shoppers profile are presented.
• Asian Internet shoppers are more brand conscious and variety seeking.
• Western Internet shoppers are less risk averse than the Asian Internet shoppers.

As the e-commerce industry continues to grow significantly across the world, the importance of understanding the similarities and differences among the consumers in diverse regions of the world is vital for businesses to stay relevant and sustain in the competitive market. Understanding customers’ characteristics successfully and effective market segmentation globally are critical for the success of one’s business. Previous studies have examined the profiles of Internet shoppers in six countries—the United States, Brazil, Bulgaria, New Zealand, England and China. This research extends the previous studies by examining the profiles of Internet shoppers and non-Internet shoppers in three countries–Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. The findings from this study reveal that the Internet shoppers respond positively towards the motivational and attitude aspects of online shopping. The implications of the findings for theory and practice are discussed.