Application of a modified internet shopper lifestyle scale to Taiwanese college-age sporting goods consumers

We investigated segments of college-age online sporting goods consumers based on the dimensions of a modified Internet shopper lifestyle scale. Participants comprised a convenience sample of 1,187 Taiwanese university students who were online sporting goods consumers. The results confirmed the dimensionality of the modified scale and provided strong empirical support for a 6-factor model comprising Internet convenience, Internet distrust, Internet window shopping, Internet logistics, bricks-and-mortar, and Internet offers. Next, using cluster analysis, we identified 3 groups of college-age sporting goods consumers, whom we labeled shopping lovers, tentative shoppers, and suspicious shoppers. The characteristics of each segment were explored to aid in understanding online sporting goods consumers. These findings provide implications for sporting goods marketers, who can tailor marketing strategies to each segment.