Research on Perceived Risk in Online Shopping: An Empirical Analysis Based on Shanghai University Students

Author: Jing Miao
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-04-01
Features: Online shopping, this foot-escape, anytime-anywhere shopping method, has many benefits. However, research has found that many consumers search for information online more than they make purchases. Some scholars attribute consumers' reluctance to shop online to obvious barriers, such as credit card issues, privacy concerns, etc. However, these barriers have not been explored extensively within the framework of consumer behavior studies, and their nature as well as their potential impact on consumers' online shopping behavior remains unclear.
"Perceived Risk," or consumers' "subjectively determined expectations of loss," can provide a useful analytical framework for identifying and explaining barriers to online shopping. Since Bauer, a Harvard University scholar, first introduced the concept of "perceived risk" from psychology into consumer behavior studies in 1960, it has been used in the West to explain traditional shopping behavior, home shopping behavior (such as telephone shopping or mail-order), and shopping risks associated with various media. Mitchell (1999) believes that when making purchase decisions, consumers tend to reduce their perceived risk rather than maximize their perceived value, and perceived risk is a stronger and more effective explanation for consumer behavior. The renowned marketing expert Kotler (1997) once pointed out that consumers' decisions to change, postpone, or cancel purchases are significantly influenced by perceived risk.
Perception is the foundation of consumer psychological activity, and consumer psychology is the prerequisite for studying consumer behavior. The direct measurement indicator of consumer purchasing behavior is purchase intention. Perceived risk is a crucial determinant of consumer purchase intention. Therefore, studying the perceived risk of online shopping behavior among consumers is beneficial for deeply understanding the essence of consumer behavior, comprehensively grasping the determinants of consumer purchasing behavior, and accurately exploring consumers' online shopping behavior. Research on perceived risk will further deepen and enrich consumer behavior theory. In practice, studying the perceived risk of online shopping behavior among consumers helps businesses truly adopt a consumer-centric approach, improves the efficiency of marketing resource utilization, and attracts more people to shop online.
College students are a group of active-minded, well-structured, innovative, and risk-taking consumers. Research on their perceived risk of online shopping can provide certain guidance for studies on other consumer groups. As an international metropolis, Shanghai's college students have broader horizons and a stronger ability to accept new things. Therefore, studying the perceived risk of online shopping among college students in Shanghai as an empirical subject will yield conclusions with certain cutting-edge significance. The book includes: Introduction, Literature Review, The Generation of Perceived Risk, The Dimensions of Perceived Risk, The Influencing Factors of Perceived Risk—Website Factors, etc.