Abstract
AbastractDeciding to make online purchases can be risky and retailers have an opportunity to influence the consumer’s decision-making process. The aim of this article is to gauge the impact of different types of risks on trust and decision making with regard to online purchases. We conducted a survey with adaptations to three theoretical scales. To analyze the impact of risk on the variables of trust and decision making, a confirmatory factor analysis was performed, and to clarify the relationships between these constructs, a structural equation model was prepared. A qualitative (n = 13) and quantitative study were conducted with primary data (n = 328) collected by means of a structured questionnaire using a sample of a group of consumers who reside in the south of Brazil. The article makes four main contributions to the field: (i) it identifies the influence of three latent constructs that might affect online purchase behavior; (ii) it gauges the risks associated with the latent construct of trust and the adaptation of scales of perceived risk and decision making; (iii) it highlights the need to reassess the strategies adopted by companies that sell online to reduce risks and consequently increase trust in decision making; and (iv) it evaluates the demographic variables that have a significant moderating effect on the relationships of the constructs of trust and decision making during the purchase process.
Highlights
In the current economic scenario, with the growth of online commercial retail transactions, the recent literature has highlighted the distributed intelligence emerging from all human and technological agents interacting on the internet (Heylighen and Lenartowicz, 2017)
Trust is closely linked to risk perception and decision making because perceived risk is an antecedent of trust (Costa, 2011) and with this risk reduced, trust increases when it comes to purchasing a product and/or service, supporting the purchase decision
According to the results presented above, the risks incurred in online purchases that support the model are performance risk of the product and/or service and general risk, which affects decision making but not trust
Summary
In the current economic scenario, with the growth of online commercial retail transactions, the recent literature has highlighted the distributed intelligence emerging from all human and technological agents interacting on the internet (Heylighen and Lenartowicz, 2017). Previous online purchases can help to reduce risks, which diminish as the consumer gains experience (Liebermann and Stashevsky, 2002), each purchase through this medium remains unique (Cunningham et al, 2005) This is because when it comes to the internet, the risks involved in online shopping are still greater than in traditional establishments (Maceira et al, 2011). Trust is closely linked to risk perception and decision making because perceived risk is an antecedent of trust (Costa, 2011) and with this risk reduced, trust increases when it comes to purchasing a product and/or service, supporting the purchase decision In this context, Costa (2011) highlights that trust is closely related to vulnerability, expectations, and the individual’s control.
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