Factors Influencing Consumer Buying Behavior in Digital Marketing: A Study of Himachal Pradesh

Digital marketing has transformed the way consumers search for information, evaluate alternatives, and make purchase decisions, yet consumer responses to digital marketing efforts vary due to multiple underlying influences. The present study aims to identify the key factors shaping consumer buying behaviour in the digital marketing environment using an exploratory factor analysis approach. Primary data were collected from consumers across selected districts of Himachal Pradesh through a structured questionnaire measured on a five-point Likert scale. A multi-stage sampling design was adopted, resulting in 633 valid responses for analysis. The suitability of the data for factor analysis was confirmed through reliability testing, the Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin measure, and Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity. Principal Component Analysis with Varimax rotation was employed to extract the underlying dimensions influencing consumer behaviour. The results revealed eight distinct factors, reflecting the combined influence of social and community dynamics, personal and demographic characteristics, platform convenience, promotional and visual appeal, security and privacy concerns, price sensitivity, deal-seeking behaviour, and AI-driven personalization. These factors together explain a substantial proportion of variance in consumer buying decisions, highlighting the multidimensional nature of digital consumer behaviour. The study contributes to the existing literature by providing empirical evidence from a regional context and offers actionable insights for managers and digital marketers seeking to design consumer-oriented digital marketing strategies.