Abstract

This study aims to determine and understand the shopping habits of senior high school students in Bacolod City, Philippines. A quantitative descriptive-comparative research design and survey questionnaire were used. 81 senior high school students from a private school in Bacolod City were the participants. A structured questionnaire was created to measure students’ preference for online and in-store shopping based on convenience, cost savings, risk perception, personal gratification, and social influence. Researchers gathered and analyzed the survey responses using statistical tools to identify trends and differences in behavior. The results give insights into students’ purchasing decisions. Our findings show that: (1) Senior high school students have a high preference for both online and in-store shopping with no significant difference based on sex, grade level, and socio-economic status. (2) Online shopping is preferred for convenience, cost savings, and promos, while in-store shopping is for product inspection and instant access. (3) Security concerns, especially online payment and data privacy affect students’ perception of e-commerce. (4) Social influence such as recommendations from peers and family plays a significant role in shaping shopping preferences. These results suggest the need to educate consumers on safe online shopping and improve security in digital transactions.

Keywords