Global consumers before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: What aspects characterize digital consumer behavior?

Purpose: Our work assessed patterns of intra and inter-regional e-commerce behavior ex-ante and during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Design/methodology/approach: The research was conducted under a quantitative approach, using a non-experimental longitudinal design focusing on the evolution of groups. Initially, relevant variables were selected from the Passport Euromonitor International Lifestyle survey database for the 2019–2021 period, in a sample of forty countries, for which a cluster analysis and the subsequent parametric and non-parametric tests of comparison between groups were performed, considering socioeconomic, demographic, cultural and e-commerce related variables. Findings: The patterns of digital consumer behavior in the countries under analysis showed changes during the pandemic, moving from characteristics of greater heterogeneity before COVID-19 to a more homogeneous scenario among consumers in different countries. Theoretical and methodological implications: This work delve into digital consumer patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the methodological contribution of the research highlights the use of data clustering techniques for behavioural segmentation, being a replicable example for other researchers. Originality/value: There is a new term proposed to specific characteristics of the e-commerce consumer where socioeconomic, demographic, and cultural variables are added as a complement to the characterization of the Level of Sophistication by the Digital Consumer.