86 JPAIR Multidisciplinary Research An Empirical Study on Metropolitan Cebu Residents’ Online Buying Behavior during the Community Quarantine Period JOEMARIZ ABELLA http://oricd.org/0000-0002-2961-5266 marizbabella9963@gmail.com Cebu Institute of Technology – University Cebu City, Philippines RODNEY A. RABE http://oricd.org/0000-0002-3925-7749 raberodney@gmail.com Cebu Institute of Technology – University Cebu City, Philippines ANTONIETTE M. ALMADEN http://oricd.org/0000-0002-3972-7501 antoniettealmaden@gmail.com Cebu Institute of Technology – University Cebu City, Philippines Originality: 100% • Grammar Check: 98% • Plagiarism: 0% ABSTRACT .Online Shopping platforms have prompted vital changes in several aspects of the digital market, yet the reasons why consumers buy online are still not clear. Driven by technological advancements and evolving consumer demand, online shopping has been remodeled through various e-commerce platforms Vol. 43 · January 2021 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7719/jpair.v43i1.717 Print ISSN 2012-3981 Online ISSN 2244-0445 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. mailto:marizbabella9963@gmail.com mailto:raberodney@gmail.com mailto:antoniettealmaden@gmail.com 87 International Peer Reviewed Journal that were progressing even before the coronavirus pandemic began. The study examined the consumers’ behavior whether there were significant changes in the Metropolitan Cebu residents’ online shopping behavior within the context of the community quarantine period. Descriptive method and convenience sampling technique were used to determine the determinants of the 543 randomly selected participants’ consumer behavior, online shopping perception, and online purchasing challenges experienced during the quarantine. The selected factors to be explored are personal, social, psychological, cultural, and how they affect consumer behavior towards online shopping. Based on the aforementioned examines, it has been found out that almost 20.1 percent of the respondents had not changed their online shopping habits since the quarantine began. Around 59.5 percent increased their spending online, and 20.4 percent of the respondents have decreased their online spending during the quarantine. As Metropolitan Cebu has already transitioned to the MGCQ phase, 71.3% of the respondents were expected to continue their online shopping activity to a more sustainable and conscious online product spending after the coronavirus pandemic. .Keywords — Social Science, Consumer Buying Behavior, descriptive method, electronic commerce, Metro Cebu Residents, Philippines INTRODUCTION . In the twenty-first century, trade and commerce have been so diversified that multichannel has taken place, and online shopping has increased (Johnson, Gustafsson, Andreassen, Lervik, & Cha,  2001). In recent years, technological changes have significantly influenced of consumption as the customer journey has transitioned to include more interaction on digital platforms that complement interaction in physical stores (Malter, Holbrook, Kahn, Parker, & Lehmann, 2020). In which this generation, the consumer is engaged to an e-commerce platform. The evolution of the Internet of things and its boundless worldwide impact were the basis for outreaching entrepreneurship to the new spheres of influence. Electronic commerce (abbreviated e-commerce) permitted companies, regardless its size, to sell without the stipulation to set up brick-and-mortar stores. Businesses using the internet gained a new dimension of communication with the other businesses and organizations (Tekin, İnce, Etlioğlu, Koyuncuoğlu, & Tekin, 2018). According to Almaden and Sombilon (2020) online shopping from various e-commerce platforms is no longer a niche to Metro Cebu residents. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23311975.2018.1514940 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23311975.2018.1535751 88 JPAIR Multidisciplinary Research It has become an integral part of normal modern life, making consumers tend to purchase goods through online channels as one means of personal protection from acquiring the coronavirus disease. Hence, this study seeks to understand if the coronavirus pandemic has changed the online buying behavior of the Metro Cebu residents. The internet is developing rapidly, and while its popularity is growing, more and more users become familiar with it and adopt it as a medium to search for information and shop online (Hill & Beatty, 2011; Pan, Chaipoopirutana & Combs, 2010; Farag et al., 2007). This section summarizes the determinants that construct the consumer behavior, the online purchasing perception, and online purchasing challenges during the quarantine period. Kannaiah and Shanthi (2015) studied and identified that “there has been a dramatic change in the way consumers have altered their way of shopping. Although consumers continue to purchase from a physical store, consumers feel very convenient to shop online since it frees them from personally visiting the store. Internet shopping has its advantages, and it reduces the effort of traveling to a physical store. Decisions can be made from home at ease, looking at various choices and prices can be easily compared with the competitor’s products to arrive at a decision. This study highlights student’s attitudes towards online shopping and their product preference for online shopping. This enables the e-retailers to support their online customer better by developing a suitable marketing strategy to attract and convert potential customers as active customers by efficiently encouraging them to make a purchase decision. .Howard and Sheth (1969) proposed one of the earliest models of consumer behavior. The model integrates various social, psychological, and marketing influences on consumer choice and analyzes purchasing behavior. Factors affecting consumers buying decisions are rooted in psychology with dashes of sociology and its influences from groups such as family, friends, and society in general (Kumar & Babu, 2014). A consumer making a purchase decision will be affected by the following three factors (1) Personal Factors “Demographics are an important set of factors that marketers should not overlook when trying to understand and respond to consumers. Demographics include variables such as age, gender, income level, educational attainment, and marital status. Each of these can have a strong influence on consumer behavior.” (2) Psychological Factors “The psychological factors that influence an individual’s decision to make a purchase are further categorized into the individual’s motivations, perceptions, learning, and beliefs, and attitudes (Callwood, 2013). (3) Cultural Factors “Culture 89 International Peer Reviewed Journal involves society’s thoughts, words, traditions, language, materials, attitudes, and feelings. One of the elements that make culture is beliefs. Beliefs of the people in a community can show similarities. Geographical regions and religions are essential in the formation of sub-culture. The preferences of individuals who live very close to each other can be different. Individuals belonging to different sub-culture values, attitudes, and social structures of the members of other sub- culture. These differences, sub-cultural segmentation of the market activity. It is important to know the sub-culture characteristics in creating the marketing mix price, brand name identification, promotional activities, and product positioning” (Durmaz, Celik, & Oruç, 2011). Today’s advancement in the internet implies a change in consumer behavior. Shopping online has now become a common form for the purchase of goods. Though internet shopping is convenient with no restriction of time and space, it also possesses hidden risks compared to traditional shopping through solid shops. Tsu-Zu (2010) states that quality issues, and product quality are some of the online shopping problems of consumers. When purchasing online, there is no guarantee of the quality of the products because consumers based only on online product reviews where sometimes it can’t be relied on. Many e-commerce websites just function as seller’s aggregator. Payment- E-commerce websites allow the consumer to pay through different modes like credit cards, debit cards, inline banking, other than cash on delivery. Sometimes, an unstable internet connection makes the amount debited to the consumer’s account but not credited to the seller’s account. So consumers prefer cash on delivery but could not order due it does not apply to the website. Delivery and logistics- Long delivery of an item is one of the problems faced by the consumer. E-commerce sites tracking systems are not accurate. Due to community lockdown, all delivery is affected where a lot of people turn into online shopping. Many items are delivered delayed to consumers. Return or wrong item received, as pandemic began, the number of damaged packages has increased. Many consumers turn into online shopping, but fewer delivery drivers and fewer trucks so items stocked and become damaged. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY .The main objectives of the research study are (1) to determine the grounds whether there were significant changes in the Metro Cebu residents’ online shopping behavior before and during the coronavirus pandemic, (2) to identify the underlying factors affecting consumers buying behavior during the pandemic, 90 JPAIR Multidisciplinary Research and (3) to recognize the challenges and consequences consumers faced in online buying through greater utilization of online shopping platforms during the coronavirus pandemic. METHODOLOGY To succeed in the research objectives, researchers used the descriptive method to describe the facts and characteristics of the Metro Cebu population’s online buying behavior systematically before and during the coronavirus pandemic, factually and accurately. The present study adopted the convenience sampling technique implemented through the use of Google forms administered to the 543 randomly selected online shopping buyers from Metro Cebu residents selected to represent the diverse population of Metro Cebu, conducted from October 28 until November 30, 2020. The survey questionnaire was divided into four sections, Section 1 was designed to seek the demographic profile of the respondents, including gender, age, location, civil status, education level, employment status, and monthly household income. Section 2 was created to explore whether there were significant changes in the respondent’s online shopping habits, the challenges faced in shopping online, and factors that influenced Metro Cebu resident’s online shopping behavior before and during the coronavirus pandemic. In section 3, there were eight items containing the overall online shopping satisfaction experience in online shopping platforms used by consumers in terms of quality of products, diversity of product offerings, after-sales service, delivery time, order tracking capability, product pricing, promotions, sales, and discounts, and inquiry, dispute, and returns responses. The last section contained the consumer’s insights regarding its understanding and implications of their buying behavior post-pandemic. The collected data from the survey were then analyzed using descriptive statistics to transform the raw data into an analyzable format, hence, enabled accuracy and interpretation of the data collected. .The researchers used a framework inspired and advocated by Kotler et al. (2005) design, as shown in figure 1. 91 International Peer Reviewed Journal Figure 1. Conceptual Framework of the Consumer Online Buying Behavior RESULTS AND DISCUSSION One of the most popular online activities of Filipinos is online shopping. With the advent of new e-commerce channels and digital globalization, more and more people opt to purchase goods online. The present coronavirus pandemic significantly affects the traditional shopping experience. Lockdowns are imposed in the cities and municipalities of Metro Cebu. Social distancing was strictly implemented. These changes have a direct impact on the online buying behavior of the residents of Metro Cebu. Personal Characteristics Demographics play a crucial contribution in asserting the change of purchasing behavior of the respondents attributed to the global pandemic. Table 1. Distribution of Sample According to Gender Variable Frequency Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Gender Male 178 32.78% 32.78% Female 365 67.22% 100.00% Total 543 100%   . 92 JPAIR Multidisciplinary Research To develop an understanding of the research study, a composition of 543 randomly selected respondents were gathered. The majority belongs to the female group, which has a percentage of 67.22% and 32.78% are male respondents. With the advanced development of technology, both genders seem to have equivalent resources and equal access to the internet. However, the results supported the view that the gender differences in online shopping exist in this generation. Table 2. Distribution of Sample According to Age Variable Frequency Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Age Range 13-18 years old 55 10.13% 10.13% 18-25 years old 211 38.86% 48.99% 26-35 years old 203 37.38% 86.37% 36-45 years old 52 9.58% 95.95% Above 45 years old 22 4.05% 100.00% Total 543 100%   .With reference to the age of the sample respondents, a percentage of 38.86% belongs to18-25 years old, slightly higher than sample residents within the age range of 26-35 years old, constituting 37.38% of the total sample. The majority of Filipinos who shop online are between the ages of 18 to 31—members of Gen Z and Millennials who are tech-savvy and prolific social media users (Charm, 2020). Undeniably, online shopping has developed a vital outlet for the consumption of adolescents expressing their personality and independence. Social media participation also can offer adolescents deeper benefits that extend into their view of self, community, and the world (O’Keefe & Clark-Pearson, 2011). Teenagers always gravitate towards online shopping due to strong social media presence and compelling online cues from immediate influencers such as their family, friends, classmates, etc. With content most appealing to this social group affecting their buying behavior and make an online purchase. 93 International Peer Reviewed Journal Table 3. Distribution of Sample According to Civil Status Variable Frequency Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Civil Status Single 371 68.32% 68.32% Married 167 30.76% 99.08% Annulled 3 0.55% 99.63% Separated 0 0.00% 99.63% Widowed 2 0.37% 100.00% Total 543 100%   . Other prevalent characteristics of the respondents are being singled, constituting about 68.32% of the sample. There is a rapid increase in the number of single consumers and smaller households in Metro Cebu. This makes this demographic factor a major consumer market. Based on the data gathered, from 371 single respondents, 247 respondents (66.58%) belongs to the female group, and 124 respondents (33.42%) are male. Single individuals are often self-conscious and value individualism. The development of digital technology and social media fostered the independence and autonomy of single consumers because face-to-face engagement is no longer needed. Table 4. Distribution of Sample Based on Location Variable Frequency Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Location City of Carcar 11 2.03% 2.03% Cebu City (Capital) 269 49.54% 51.57% Danao City 7 1.29% 52.85% Lapu-Lapu City 66 12.15% 65.01% Mandaue City 30 5.52% 70.53% City of Naga 13 2.39% 72.93% Toledo City 14 2.58% 75.51% City of Talisay 43 7.92% 83.43% Cebu Province 90 16.57% 100.00% Total 543 100.00%   . With the total population of Cebu, the majority of survey respondents are from Cebu City (capital), which has a percentage of 49.5%, next to provincial provinces of Cebu (16.6%) and Lapu-Lapu City (12.2%), respectively. For highly 94 JPAIR Multidisciplinary Research urbanized cities such as Cebu City (capital), it is projected that this will have the highest number of respondents in this research study. Table 5. Distribution of Sample Based on company sector, employment status, and work arrangement Variable Frequency Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Company Sector Public sector 115 21.18% 21.18% Private sector 369 67.96% 89.13% Not-for-profit sector 59 10.87% 100.00% Total 543 100% Employment Status Employed Full time 332 61.14% 61.14% Self-employed 40 7.37% 68.51% Student 99 18.23% 86.74% Unemployed looking for work 28 5.16% 91.90% Employed Part-time 14 2.58% 94.48% Unemployed and not looking for work 11 2.03% 96.50% Others 19 3.50% 100.00% Total 543 100%   Current work arrangement Work from home 289 53.22% 53.22% Work in the Office 254 46.78% 100.00% Total 543 100.00%   . Coronavirus pandemic causes more serious downside risk to the global economy. Employed individuals, especially from the private sectors, are jeopardized by losing their jobs due to the stoppage of operations mandated by the government, instigating deep financial loss for several businesses, particularly in the service industry. Schools are temporarily closed, affecting many students as well. The survey respondents comprise mostly 61.14%, full-time employees, 18.23% were identified as students, and about 7.37% are self-employed individuals. 67.96% are from the private sector, and 21.18% are employees from the government. Alternative working arrangements were adopted in response to 95 International Peer Reviewed Journal the growing cases of the spread of coronavirus. Some of the residents still work in the office (53.22%), and some work in the comfort of their homes (46.78%). Results show that their current work arrangement influences 70.7% of the sample respondents’ decision from buying products online during the quarantine. Table 6. Distribution of Sample Based on Education and Monthly Income Variable Frequency Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Education Bachelor’s degree 373 68.69% 68.69% Some college, no degree 44 8.10% 76.80% Less than a high school diploma 25 4.60% 81.40% Associate degree 8 1.47% 82.87% Master’s degree 27 4.97% 87.85% Doctorate 5 0.92% 88.77% High school degree or equivalent 51 9.39% 98.16% Professional degree 3 0.55% 98.71% Vocational/Technical School 7 1.29% 100.00% Total 543 100%   Household monthly income Under 10,000 Pesos 109 20.07% 20.07% 10,000 - 20,000 Pesos 211 38.86% 58.93% 21,000 - 30,000 Pesos 80 14.73% 73.66% 31,000 - 40,000 Pesos 40 7.37% 81.03% 41,000 - 50,000 Pesos 20 3.68% 84.71% Above 50,000 Pesos 83 15.29% 100.00% Total 543 100.00%   . Table 6 shows that a large percentage of the sample respondents attained a bachelor’s degree constituting 68.69%. Also, 9.39% have high school degrees, and 8.10% attended college but don’t have a degree. In terms of household monthly income, survey shows that the level of income of respondents and with the highest percentage have a range between 10,000-20,000 pesos, which is 38.86% of respondents and next is 20.07% of respondents have income level under 10,000 and 15.29% respondents have an income level of above 50,000.00 96 JPAIR Multidisciplinary Research pesos. Buying online is interconnected with educational attainment and income level. Education influences how we view our environment. When it comes to purchases, education plays an essential part in the level we perceive things. The more a person achieves a higher level of education, the more level of judgment and sensitivity they employ in a purchase decision. Consumers are not relying on ads alone but evidence as well. An educated customer would weigh his options carefully before going for a purchase. Education makes customers deliberate, observe and examine the product more. Social Influences Studies show that Filipino spends an average of nine hours and forty-five minutes  online, according to the annual digital 2020 report (Digital, 2020). A majority of all residents have social media accounts. Filipinos were branded as technology savvy. This fact exposes them to online shopping platforms; thus e-commerce industry is in positive advantage. It was figured through analysis that 86.4% have been doing online shopping before the pandemic has begun, and 13.6% have not been doing any online activity before the pandemic. In addition, 42% of the sample respondents have been shopping online for the past six months, while 28% have been doing online shopping for 1 to 3 years purchasing items online for themselves and their family members. The period falls when the coronavirus cases are still very high and this confirms that in the period of quarantine and lockdown, 90.1% of the respondents have been doing online shopping. Both essential goods and non-essentials are purchased online with a percentage of 45.9%. 97 International Peer Reviewed Journal Table 7. Distribution of Sample Based on Product Purchased Online Variable Valid Percent Products bought online Apparel/Clothing/Fashion 43.60% Food/Groceries 41.10% Cosmetic and Personal Care 34.10% Shoes 25.40% Electronics 19.50% Phones and Tablet Accessories 17.90% Kitchen Tools 17.10% Kids Stuffs 14.25% Books 14.20% Health and Safety Essentials 13.60% Home Appliances 13.10% Sports Equipment and Apparels 12.90% Hobbies and Crafts 12.30% Tools and Hardware 11% Vitamins/Supplements 11% Travel Essentials/Accessories 10.30% Games & Game Console 9% Pet Accessories 8.30% Home and Garden Tools 6.40% CD/DVD/ENTERTAINMENT GADGETS 6.10% Car Accessories 5.25% .Since most of the respondents are in the female group, the top purchases revealed that 43.6% of the purchases appeared to be Apparel or clothing goods. Next in rank is Consumer goods such as food and groceries which is 41.1%, and cosmetics or personal care comes after having a percentage of 34.1%. Shopping is considered a female activity. To keep a sense of masculinity, some men avoid going shopping. (Campbell 1997). The average monthly spending in online shopping is under PHP 3,000.00, constituting 79.4% of the sample respondents, and 14.5% spend more than PHP 3,000-5,000. Shoppers tend to purchase goods 98 JPAIR Multidisciplinary Research through online channels as a means of personal protection by the virus infection. As we respond and adjust to the changes in our basic lifestyle brought about by the global pandemic, it is apparent that there is a shift in consumer preference and behavior when it comes to shopping in-person (offline) and online. Table 8. Distribution of Sample Based On Frequency (before & after) Variable Frequency Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Frequency of online purchase before the pandemic once in 2-3months 308 56.72% 56.72% monthly 128 23.57% 80.29% weekly 86 15.84% 96.13% daily 21 3.87% 100.00% Total 543 100% Frequency of online purchase after the pandemic once in 2-3months 183.00 33.70% 33.70% monthly 206.00 37.94% 71.64% weekly 125.00 23.02% 94.66% daily 29.00 5.34% 100.00% Total 543.00 100.00%   . Through assessment, before the pandemic, the survey shows that 56.72% of the respondents purchase online once in every 2-3 months and 23.57% have a monthly purchase. Further analysis confirmed that when the coronavirus pandemic started when quarantine and lockdown are imposed, a significant shift happened. Respondents with monthly frequency increased to 37.94%, which is 14.3% higher before the pandemic happened. Weekly and daily purchases of our respondents also increased by 7.20% and 1.4%, respectively. This increase shows that Cebuano’s are inclined to purchase online because the government had imposed closure to all non-essential businesses like malls. The crossing of city borders is strictly monitored. Peers and family members are practicing social distancing and wanted to minimize their time outside of their homes. 99 International Peer Reviewed Journal Table 9. Distribution of Sample Based On Online Shopping Spending Variable Frequency Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Variation in online spending Increases my online spending 323 59.48% 59.48% Decreases my online spending 111 20.44% 79.93% Nothing has changed since the pandemic 109 20.07% 100.00% Total 543 100.00%   . Respondents are then asked about the changes in their online shopping during the quarantine. More than half of the respondents, which is 59.4%, believed they increased their online spending. While 20.44% said, their online purchases decreased and 20.07% confirmed that their purchases online didn’t change. There is this understanding of how they view themselves as a consumer during this pandemic. How they perceived themselves in their spending towards online shopping shows how rational the consumers can be in this time of pandemic. Psychological Factors Table 10. Distribution of Sample That Influences Consumer to Purchase Products Online Before and During Quarantine Period (Top 10) Variable Frequency Influences to purchase before the pandemic quarantine period Convenience 51.40% Time-saving 36.80% Need/Requirement 35.20% The attractiveness of the product 30.60% A deep personal desire 29.10% Value for money 16.10% Fear and Safety 12.20% Peer recommendation 10.70% Exclusiveness 3.90% 100 JPAIR Multidisciplinary Research Variable Frequency Influences to purchase during the quarantine period Lockdown 58.40% stay at home 46.40% convenient cash on delivery 39% less waste of time 26.50% Product branding’ 24.70% lower delivery charge 23.80% suitable/reasonable price 23.20% product features 21.50% interest and hobby 14% . Prior to the Covid19 pandemic, 51.4% of the consumer would transact online mainly because of the convenience it brings, which was evident in the percentage of data gathered. Residents always turn online to procure things because of the conveniences it offers. Another reason, according to the research, data says 36.8% agree it saves their time by transacting online, which is also, again, a convenience factor. The consumer’s sensitivity was pertaining to online transactions surges because of the high level of fear during the peak of the pandemic. Supplementary analysis proves that consumer motivation has a dramatic shift during the coronavirus pandemic. These influences are changed primarily because of the lockdown of the sitios and barangays, according to 58.40% of the surveyed respondents. Next to which is because of stay at home implementation by the government officials, which is 46.4% and also because of the convenience it brought to the consumers (39%), which as mentioned is the main reason people turn online before the pandemic, comes in third in the survey. Culture and Sub-Culture Influences .Mall ceases to operate to abide by government implementing rules and regulations during a pandemic. Businesses are making management decisions to reconsider and re-assess digital content marketing and offering to meet the demand of the consumers. Exponentially, business embarks on digital transformation and uses online social media platforms and other channels to sell products and services. This is crucial for businesses to reach out to their target 101 International Peer Reviewed Journal markets, especially where transportations are constricted, and lockdown isolation is the urge to the public. Cebuanos highly favored Shoppee as their primary online selling channel with 80.7% frequency. Next in ranked is Facebook market or groups with 49.5%, very close results with food delivery providers such as Grab & Foodpanda who got 45.15%. Prominent online shopping platforms in the Philippines are dominated by an unrestricted supplier to the cross-border seller like Shoppee and Lazada. Regarding the payment method, it is noteworthy that residents of metro Cebu constantly preferred cash on delivery (COD) whether before and during the pandemic and most likely will still be even after. Filipino’s habitual influence is to always pay in cash despite the alternatives to opt for cashless transactions. It is a Filipino trait to make sure that good and services are delivered before paying just for assurance even though cashless transactions are preferred and advised during the pandemic to avoid face to face interaction with logistics employees. Challenges and Consequences .It was imparted how online shopping sites provide conveniences to the consumers. However, some negative aspects are also present and cannot be avoided. 65.2% of the respondents have a negative experience regarding online shopping, regardless of whether it is before or after the pandemic. Numerous account by consumers that is 38.9% says that delayed deliveries are the main ground of such unfortunate incident. Logistics companies are heavily wounded when lockdown measures are implemented. Because of the strict cross-border monitoring and alternative work arrangements, logistics companies experience a bottleneck in product delivery to their consumers. Consumer’s Online Buying Experience Satisfaction The inferences of the data, when analyzed, showcases a few significant factors driving the satisfaction of the customers in their experience based on online shopping. Respondents are mostly satisfied with their online shopping experiences in several factors. Survey says that 61% are satisfied with the quality of the products received. In addition, 61.3% say that they are satisfied with their online shopping experience regarding the diversity of product offerings. When it comes to the services being provided, 63% agree that they are satisfied. The delivery lead time of the products is also considered as 54.5% the consumer are satisfied with it. To track availability and product pricing, consumers are satisfied with it with a frequency of 59.7% and 59.5%, respectively. Due to the numerous 102 JPAIR Multidisciplinary Research benefits online shopping sites offer, data gathered reveals that consumers’ interest increases. With that in mind, data says 58.4% of the respondents are satisfied in terms of promotions, sales, and discounts by prominent shopping sites. And also, 51.2% are satisfied with the terms of Inquiry/Dispute/Returns response from seller or shop. Post-Pandemic Consumer’s Outlook .There are implicit drawbacks of this global pandemic. Businesses must re- assess their current financial situation and adapt to new consumer needs cause these consequences might be carried out for the next decade. Consumer buying behavior has gone through a tough transformation and old habits may or may not come back. 71.3% of the respondents are still willing to transact online after the pandemic. Online shopping is no longer a niche in Filipino activity. It became an integral part of our normal modern life as a consumer. In effect, 66.1% of the respondents say chances are their online purchasing behavior will now shift towards buying essential goods only and 33.9% says they will just buy whatever they want. Furthermore, research shows that consumer spending habits that will permanently change after the Covid-19 crisis are influenced by making more sustainable choices, says 24.7% of the respondents and 19.9% confirms that they will shop more consciously in terms of cost. Demonstrating adjustments in consumer buying behavior will likely persist long after the pandemic. The global crisis also causes consumers to reflect more genuinely about health and environmental impacts in their shopping decisions and choices. CONCLUSIONS .From all the above, it is clear that the community quarantine period in Metro Cebu has certainly changed the consumer’s online shopping behavior when many non-essential physical stores have been forced to close, reduced or rationed stock and social distancing requirement were strictly observed. Overall, it is obvious that the pandemic greatly influenced the consumer’s perception online and contributed to their purchase decision regardless of the challenges identified in online shopping. Due to the implemented quarantine measures, consumer’s behavior shows variations. Consumers behave differently in confinement times and discomfort situations, which resulted from them to continuing their online shopping motives even in the new normal era. There were few limitations of the study. The 543 respondents were considered the sample size of the entire Metro 103 International Peer Reviewed Journal Cebu population, which is relatively small for generalizations. However, as the population progresses, we assume there will not be such a dramatic difference between its demographic characteristics in terms of online purchases. Also, the larger sample size probably provides us with different results, as other overlooked patterns vary with the increased number of the sample size. The last limitation we consider to be important is the consciousness of the samples regarding the factors themselves, as some of them might affect consumer’s behavior subconsciously without them noticing the factor changed their decision. If further attempts were to be made to examine the consumer’s online buying behavior intensively, it would be interesting to (1) increase the sample size so we can contribute with more general results regarding online buying behavior, (2) conduct a connected user study to compare questionnaire results with real user application behavior when it comes to evaluating factors affecting online buying behavior, and finally; and (4) monitor the trends and changes in user behavior and find new buying behavioral pattern over time. TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH .The research study can be best communicated for adaption and improvement by various stakeholders like the government, marketing, advertising businesses, social media and e-commerce developers, psychological and behavioral practitioners, and social communities. These stakeholders embrace passionate opinions fronting various businesses to prospective innovations and technological advances. The study on consumer behavior during pandemic focuses on the basic principles and theory and explores common predicament and practices by the residents of Metro Cebu. A regulation can be strategizing the government to safeguard consumers and help evaluate products online, especially during a pandemic. It is important that the consumer guarantee a governing body prioritizing demands judged by business with technical implication and relevance. Marketing and advertising businesses can use alternative methods in promoting and selling products to consumers. E-commerce developers can best-utilized data in proposing innovative online purchase experiences and convenience during the pandemic. Developing an advance comprehensive e-commerce platform that governing agencies can scrutinize consumer responses. Practitioners can adapt and improve new context and discipline for filling the gaps and efforts in consumer behavior. 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