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A multilevel latent class analysis of the purchasing channels among European consumers

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Abstract

This work aims at investigating similarities and differences in the ways of purchasing goods and services by European citizens—in particular the consumer behaviour on the preferred purchasing channels among web, phone, mail and sales representatives—by exploiting data collected through the Eurobarometer 69.1 survey in 2008. To this aim, we adopt a multilevel latent class solution, which allows to simultaneously cluster individuals and countries. The overall result is that most countries can be grouped in classes that follow a geographical division, while European citizens can be divided in classes with some specific profiles: a large proportion of consumers have not confidence with alternative purchasing channels yet, particularly among older respondents; most consumers still prefer to buy from sellers or providers located in their own country; more educated individuals show a widespread use of the web; a class of potential purchasers may be determined, particularly among younger people.

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Acknowledgments

This research was partially supported by the University of Padua (Italy) with grant CPDA121180 “Statistical and econometric approach to marketing: applications and developments to customer satisfaction and market segmentation”.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Economics, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, 30121, Venice, Italy

    Chiara Dal Bianco

  2. Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Padua, 35121, Padua, Italy

    Omar Paccagnella

  3. ISTAT-Italian National Statistical Institute, 00184, Rome, Italy

    Roberta Varriale

Authors
  1. Chiara Dal Bianco
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  2. Omar Paccagnella
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  3. Roberta Varriale
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Correspondence to Omar Paccagnella.

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Dal Bianco, C., Paccagnella, O. & Varriale, R. A multilevel latent class analysis of the purchasing channels among European consumers. METRON 74, 293–309 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40300-016-0100-0

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