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Consumer decisions are influenced by various variables, including compliance with society’s social norms and by involvement by consumers with the issue under consideration. Both variables have influenced consumers’ actions during previous pandemics. Therefore, this study investigated involvement with the Covid-19 pandemic, together with social norm compliance (SNC), their mutual influence, and how demographic characteristics and country of residence influenced these three issues. The methodology involved a quantitative descriptive cross-sectional survey, with a quota sample of 1096 responses, based on age, gender, education, habitation, and income. The research was conducted with populations representing the consumers who patronize major retailers in a developed country (Germany) and a developing one (South Africa). Data was collected via questionnaires e-mailed to commercial consumer panels covering both countries. The findings showed that involvement is influenced by gender, age, education, habitation, and country of residence, but that SNC is not influenced by demographics but does differ according to country. Further findings were that involvement with Covid-19 strongly influences SNC and, similarly, SNC also strongly influences involvement with Covid-19. Furthermore demographics, excluding habitation, also influence these variables. However, the relationship between the involvement and SNC variables does not differ between the two countries. This study has provided a better understanding of consumers’ involvement with Covid-19 and SNC as components of consumer behavior, which is important since, during the Covid-19 pandemic, retailers have been instrumental in implementing health protocols. Therefore, understanding the relationship between involvement with Covid-19 and SNC, and how they are influenced by consumer demographics, is important.

This paper evaluates how the perceptions of consumers from different demographic backgrounds influence their adoption and use of digital personal banking, and suggests marketing activities required to increase digital banking by these different demographic target groups. The method involved an online survey of a sample of 400 respondents with bank accounts in the iLembe district of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, focusing on the demographic dimensions of age, gender, education and income. The study found that high digital banking users were older (24+), with higher education and a higher income, while low digital banking users were younger (18-23), with a lower level of education and a lower income. No differences according to gender were found. The convenience of digital banking and a good online banking experience were the factors that most encouraged digital banking use by high users, while perceptions of high cost and having low control over their online banking activities were factors that discouraged low users from more digital banking use. These findings confirmed the previous research about the influence of age and education on digital banking use, but contributed new knowledge about the influence of income, and the lack of influence of gender, on digital banking adoption and use. Comprehensive recommendations for banks, policy makers and other stakeholders are provided.

This paper evaluates how the perceptions of consumers from different demographic backgrounds influence their adoption and use of digital personal banking, and suggests marketing activities required to increase digital banking by these different demographic target groups. The method involved an online survey of a sample of 400 respondents with bank accounts in the iLembe district of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, focusing on the demographic dimensions of age, gender, education and income. The study found that high digital banking users were older (24+), with higher education and a higher income, while low digital banking users were younger (18-23), with a lower level of education and a lower income. No differences according to gender were found. The convenience of digital banking and a good online banking experience were the factors that most encouraged digital banking use by high users, while perceptions of high cost and having low control over their online banking activities were factors that discouraged low users from more digital banking use. These findings confirmed the previous research about the influence of age and education on digital banking use, but contributed new knowledge about the influence of income, and the lack of influence of gender, on digital banking adoption and use. Comprehensive recommendations for banks, policy makers and other stakeholders are provided.

Consumer decisions are influenced by various variables, including compliance with society’s social norms and by involvement by consumers with the issue under consideration. Both variables have influenced consumers’ actions during previous pandemics. Therefore, this study investigated involvement with the Covid-19 pandemic, together with social norm compliance (SNC), their mutual influence, and how demographic characteristics and country of residence influenced these three issues. The methodology involved a quantitative descriptive cross-sectional survey, with a quota sample of 1096 responses, based on age, gender, education, habitation, and income. The research was conducted with populations representing the consumers who patronize major retailers in a developed country (Germany) and a developing one (South Africa). Data was collected via questionnaires e-mailed to commercial consumer panels covering both countries. The findings showed that involvement is influenced by gender, age, education, habitation, and country of residence, but that SNC is not influenced by demographics but does differ according to country. Further findings were that involvement with Covid-19 strongly influences SNC and, similarly, SNC also strongly influences involvement with Covid-19. Furthermore demographics, excluding habitation, also influence these variables. However, the relationship between the involvement and SNC variables does not differ between the two countries. This study has provided a better understanding of consumers’ involvement with Covid-19 and SNC as components of consumer behavior, which is important since, during the Covid-19 pandemic, retailers have been instrumental in implementing health protocols. Therefore, understanding the relationship between involvement with Covid-19 and SNC, and how they are influenced by consumer demographics, is important.