PURCHASING HABITS OF COLLEGE STUDENTS USING ONLINE SHOPPING VOUCHERS ON SHOPEE, LAZADA, TIKTOK SHOP, AND SHEIN

Abstract

Vouchers offer attractive discounts to entice customers and stimulate their interest in making purchases through online platforms. In this way, both parties benefit consumers enjoy savings, while businesses increase sales and promote growth. A voucher is a document that certifies a transaction or grants a person the right to specific goods, services, or discounts. Vouchers are commonly used across various industries, including retail, hospitality, and banking. Businesses often utilize them to provide incentives, rewards, or compensation to customers, employees, or partners. Using snowball sampling, the researchers selected members of the target population to participate in the study. According to Johnson (2014), snowball sampling begins with a few initial participants who then refer others to take part. A pilot test was conducted with a small group of college students to refine the survey instrument. The final survey questionnaire was approved on November 14, 2024. It will be distributed via Microsoft Forms, with the target respondents being college students from a different institution. Participant selection will follow the snowball sampling method. A total of 43 college students participated in the study. Among them, 39 students (93%) reported using online shopping vouchers, while 4 students (7%) said they did not. When asked about the types of vouchers they use, 34 students (45%) indicated they use free shipping vouchers, 38 students (40%) use discount vouchers, 11 students (13%) use cashback vouchers, and 1 student (1%) selected "others."  The participants were also asked to identify the product categories they purchase using online shopping vouchers. Their responses were as follows: 20% for accessories, 13% for electronics, 35% for clothes, 7% for footwear, 16% for health and beauty products, 6% for food, 11% for toys and collectibles, and 2% for other categories.  Regarding the usage frequency of cashback vouchers, 7.89% of the students answered "often," 13.16% said "always," 31.58% reported "rarely," 34.21% responded with "sometimes," and 13.16% said they "never" use them. The top three most frequently used voucher types among college students were Free Shipping Vouchers (45%), Discount Vouchers (40%), and Cashback Vouchers (13%). Students most often used these vouchers when purchasing items from four primary product categories: Accessories (20%), Clothes (25%), Electronics (13%), and Health and Beauty Products (16%). Among these, Free Shipping Vouchers were used most frequently for clothing purchases, accounting for 19%.