PurposeThe present study aims at examining the behavioural differences of the Y and Z generational cohorts in online shopping for physical products.Design/methodology/approachLogistic regressions (LRs) were conducted to identify positively significant, negatively significant and insignificant variables/items of shopping motives to determine online shopping behavioural differences of both cohorts.FindingsWhile shopping online, the Gen Y cohort focuses on rational decisions, and Gen Z derives enjoyment, learning, exploration and has a deal-hunting behaviour. Gen Y incorporates actual shopping experiences shared on social media, is relatively less individualistic and more social, unlike Gen Z youths who significantly value reviews and ratings. Both cohorts carry a high-product risk and sacrifice many hedonic motives. Y and Z cohorts perceive financial risk and a product's performance-related risks, respectively. The Z cohort has an intrinsic passion for digital technology whereas Gen Y uses it purposely. Thus, both have distinctive online shopping behaviours apart from some similarities.Practical implicationsOnline retailers can use the findings of this study to develop more effective marketing strategies to serve both the cohorts better who have largely mutually exclusive online shopping behaviours.Originality/valueThe study measured actual behaviours on contemporary and comprehensive variables/items of utilitarian and hedonic motives, and associated perceived risks in online shopping exclusively. Therefore, the results offer significant, realistic and useful theoretical contributions in the present context to the existing literature on the subject matter along with valuable inputs to the practitioners.

The unprecedented dissemination of digital technology has changed people's psychology including their shopping behaviour in the last two decades. Smartphone led digital applications and advancements have disrupted consumers' shopping processes, purchase decisions, and priorities as well as increased their exposure, aspira-

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PurposeCOVID-19 pandemic endured for more than two years in many countries which caused higher levels of risk, crisis and vulnerability among people. The present study aims at justifying the COVID-19 pandemic as the ‘defining moment’ for Z generational cohort (Gen Z) by examining their post-COVID-19 shopping behavioural shifts.Design/methodology/approachFor this purpose, two studies were conducted. Study 1 examined shifts in their shopping priorities from the pre to post-pandemic eras by using mean, standard deviation and difference t-tests. Study 2 investigated the role of the 18 items in their post-COVID-19 online shopping preference and the results were compared with a similar pre-COVID-19 study to identify online shopping behavioural shifts.FindingsThe study finds five key post-COVID-19 shopping behavioural shifts among Gen Z consumers. These are ‘an inevitable inner desire for mitigating social isolation, risk and vulnerability’, ‘rational purchase decisions based on an in-depth analysis of multiple digital contents related to products/brands’, ‘permanent frugality in the shopping habits’, ‘conscious and cautious consumption’ and ‘the sacrifice of personal grit, idealism and psychology’.Practical implicationsSince the post-COVID-19 shopping behavioural shifts have far-reaching implications and long-lasting effects on the psychological processes and mental health of Gen Z, marketers/retailers can use the findings of this study to develop more effective marketing strategies for serving these early-adulthood consumers better.Originality/valueBased on their metamorphic shopping behavioural shifts by comparing their pre-pandemic and post-pandemic responses, the study justifies the severity and devastating effects of the pandemic crisis as the ‘defining moment’ for the youths of this COVID-19 generation.

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Value chain is a network of activities performed by firms for creating and delivering superior customer value with distinction. It has two parts, namely; supply chain and demand chain. A supply ch;ain refers to assets, information, ;and processes that provide supply. A demand chain deals with all assets, information, and processes that define demand. In the era of globalization and information technology, firms are under tremendous pressure to m;aximize ;and enhance their market responsiveness capabilities. In this endeavor, they need to look and appraise their value chain continuously. The focus of this paper is to an;alyze the contributions of supply chain in the optimization of supply side of the value chain, and its limitations in the demand side responsiveness in the prevailing market scenario. This paper identifies that there are at least six reasons behind failure of supply chain in the present turbulent market scenario, where superior market responsiveness capability is the key for success. These are management of influence of front-end micro environmental factors, inventory management for value delivery, demand fulfillment, pull marketing strategy, demand-side IT initi;atives, ;and channel relationships. Finally, this paper advocates that firms should emphasize on management of demand chain and supply chain should be aligned with it for meeting the requirements of superior market responsiveness.

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