Analysis Of Knowledge, Perceived Value And Inclination To Buy Through E-Commerce Platforms Among Rural Graduate Students: A Study With Reference To Shivamogga District

Abstract

Rural graduate students represent a rapidly evolving consumer segment for e-commerce in India, yet their knowledge about online shopping, perceived value of e-commerce platforms, and actual inclination to purchase remain under-researched at the district level. This study examines the relationships among e-commerce knowledge, perceived functional and experiential value, trust, and inclination to buy using primary data from 150 rural graduate students in Shivamogga District. The research employs Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), multinomial logistic regression, and bootstrapped mediation analysis. Results indicate that higher e-commerce knowledge significantly increases perceived functional and experiential value (β = 0.53, p < 0.001), which in turn raises inclination to buy (indirect effect = 0.28; 95% CI: 0.17–0.40). The study provides policy and managerial implications for tailored digital literacy programs, trust-building interventions, and last-mile logistics design for rural youth.