Abstract
Background: Various data access types influence online purchasing in South Africa,
contributing to a digital divide. Literature on consumers’ perceptions of data access and its
influence on online consumer decision-making is scant.
Objectives: This study explores South African consumers’ perceptions of data access and its
influence on online consumer decision-making.
Method: Plowright’s Framework for Integrated Methodology (FraIM) guided the study’s
methodological choices. Through purposive sampling, 25 participants who purchased online
6 months before data collection participated in four virtual focus group discussions. Tesch’s
eight steps guided the data analysis procedure.
Results: Access to data lies on a continuum from limited to sufficient data access, impacted by
location, infrastructure, affordability, time spent online, data usage and device, and supporting
factors. Limited data access impedes online consumer decision-making, whereas sufficient
data access supports online consumer decision-making. With better data access, consumers
can spend more time online deliberating risks by searching for information, reading reviews,
comparing alternatives, tracking purchases and influencing other consumers to purchase
online.
Conclusion: A lack of data access impedes, while sufficient data access supports online
consumer decision-making.
Contribution: This study adds to the limited knowledge of data access and its implications for
decision-making in South Africa. Using the FraIM in a marketing-related study provides novel
methodological insights for future research.