Most research related to consumer choice of retailers emphasizes retailer attributes and/or consumer characteristics. Since many retail formats, including online retailing, have emerged in recent years, knowledge of how consumers select retail formats must be updated. A source of influence that has been examined to a very limited extent for store retailers but not for emerging retail formats is situational influence. From a modern interactionism perspective, this study investigates the influence of situational as well as consumer and retailer factors on preference for online, catalog, and store formats. Key results show that situational factors have significant influence on online and catalog format selection and perceptions of attributes that are crucial to that selection.

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Purpose -This study aims to explore Indian online shopping via the concept of shopping orientations. Design/methodology/approach -Surveys were collected from 536 consumer panel members. Online shopping segments were identified by using a two-step process that clustered respondents in terms of the similarity of their scores across four shopping orientations. Findings -Three segments were identified: value singularity, quality at any price, and reputation/recreation. The quality at any price and reputation/recreation segments were the predominant online shoppers. Although their orientations toward shopping differed, their behaviour, web site attribute ratings, and demographics were very similar except for occupation (managerial versus clerical, respectively). The finding that the value singularity segment is not the pioneer online shopper in India contrasts with the early online shoppers in the USA, who were often motivated by price.Research limitations/implications -This is the first empirical study to use shopping orientation research in the Indian marketplace. It is also among the first to link shopping orientations with a wide complement of correlates. Research should continue to track the development of this emerging market. Practical implications -Besides revealing that the orientations of Indian consumers are not price-based, the relatively unfractionated factor analysis solutions for shopping orientations and web site dimensionality suggest that, in the emerging Indian economy, consumer conceptualizations of shopping have not yet undergone full elaboration. Thus, this cross-sectional study could be extended with longitudinal research to reveal how Indian consumers' perceptions of the marketplace change with market development and growing consumer sophistication. Originality/value -Although online shopping in India is on the verge of rapid growth, relatively little is known about most aspects of Indian consumer behaviour. This study begins to build a foundation of knowledge of Indian online shopping.

KENNETH C GEHRT is an assistant professor of marketing at the University of Maine He earned his DBA in marketing from the University of Ken tucky HIS research interests include catalog retailing the phenomenology of patronage behavior the irnpacr of situarional factors on consumer behav ior and markering to the elderly KENT CARTER is an associare professor of Management at Westminster College and holder of The McKee Chair in Business He received his MBA from Maine in 1983 and his PhD in Strategic Management from the University of Massachusetts in 1986 He has been a consultant to both government and private business and is the author of ieveral articles concerning multinarional enterprise and small business activity His primary research interests include CEO decision making small firm strategic planning and Canadian/U 5 business comparison studies This article was presented at the Third Annual Robert B Clarke DMEF Educators Conference held in Bosron last November I t was one of two presen tations which were each awarded a S I OCO cash prize [the other, by Paul Wang will appear in the next issue of JDM] The conference IS named in honor of the late Robert B Clarke former Chairman and CEO of Grolier Inc , who provided an endowment fund for academic prizes in direct market ing education ABSTRACT Catalog patronage research has frequently attempted to explain patronage proclivities by utilizing demographic predictor variables. Selection of demographic variables has been implicitly based on the premise that nonstore shoppers are convenience-ori. ented. A comparison of studies reveals that their findings often conflict An issue that has not been thoroughly examined is whether a multiplicity of orientations toward catalog shopping exists The existence of multiple orientations toward store shopping has been recognized for some time This article empirically assesses catalog shopping orientations, borrowing theoretical and methodological frameworks that have been used to examine store shopping orientations. Analysis reveals two primary shopping orientations that are related to catalog shopping: a convenience as well as a recreational orientation. The findings indicate that the catalog shopping orientations differ substantially and suggest that retail strategies and tactics which target individuals associated with each of the orientations must also differ. The study also demonstrates a methodology that may prove useful for future research.0 1992 John W i k y 8r Sons,