Social influence and online consumer behaviour of seniors: investigation of the interrelationship through structural modeling

In recent decades, the volume of online commerce in Russia has significantly increased. Research dedicated to the participation of the population in internet shopping continues to expand; however, the majority of analytical materials remain focused on the younger generation. The factors influencing the engagement of seniors (individuals of the silver age) in online shopping have received scant attention. This study contributes to the advancement of this problematic field by examining the role of social influence in the online consumer behaviour of senior citizens. The empirical basis of the research comprises survey data collected from 320 seniors in the Sverdlovsk region. The analysis employed the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) methodology. The results demonstrate that social influence exerts a direct positive effect on the online consumer behaviour of seniors, as well as on their intentions to engage in online shopping in the future. To address the societal imbalance regarding this issue, marketing strategies should not solely target senior citizens directly but also consider the representatives of their social circles, particularly family members and friends.