From the way we communicate and connect with each other, to the way we receive information about the world around us, we are constantly moving our daily lives online. Shopping may not be an exception, with an estimated nearly 2 billion people worldwide purchasing goods and services via online platforms (Statista, 2020). Given the growth of e-commerce globally, it is no wonder that a large amount of literature has been devoted to how individuals make decisions online in order to better predict and profile consumer behavior. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The notion of online decision making describes the cognitive process that takes place in a consumer's mind before reaching a conclusion regarding an online decision. Academics have identified several factors that can influence this behavior. Kuhlmeier and Knight (2005) argue that long before considering an online purchase, individuals evaluate the associated risks as well as their level of Internet literacy. Similarly, a consumer's willingness to purchase goods online is positively influenced by the perceived usefulness of the webstore, the trust it evokes as well as its social presence (Dash and Saji, 2007). According to Lai and Wang 2012, the usefulness of online shopping equates to the amount of perceived added value they experience when engaging in online shopping. Trust is essential when making decisions on the web as it builds a relationship between the company and the buyer, further strengthened by a high-quality interface that leads to a pleasant customer experience (Corbitt et al., 2003). The same academic research has drawn attention to how strong retail partnerships, flexible payment methods and “word of mouth” tactics can also help address any feelings of distrust around online shopping. Cheung and Lee (2006), also show that the perceived level of trust evoked by the web vendor (quality of security controls, perceived efficiency), together with factors that provide external certification of the website, can have a huge impact on the perception that consumers have of the site. online shopping. A key feature of online shopping is that individuals are unable to physically evaluate alternative options before completing the purchase, and the payment process does not involve an in-person interaction between the buyer and the company. Therefore, it is not surprising that when purchasing online consumers must weigh the risk associated with the delivery and return policy (Martin, 2005), the risk of being exposed to malicious software and the fear that their personal data will be exploited (Constantinides, 2004 , Ernst and Young, 2000). To overcome these concerns, online users usually prefer websites that they consider trustworthy or brands with which they have previous experience (Chen and He, 2003). A notable effort to explore how consumers behave online is the work of Dange and Kumar in 2012. Their academic article presents a model describing that online purchasing behavior is influenced equally by internal and external factors. external to individuals. External components include, among others, demographic characteristics, socioeconomic and cultural status as well as associated marketing activities. As for internal factors, they include the consumer's attitude towards e-commerce, self-image beliefs and motivation to engage in purchases.