The Impact of Online Shopping Experience on Risk Perceptions and Online Purchase Intentions: The Moderating Role of Product Category and Gender

Abstract

This study investigated how consumers’ previous online shopping experience influences their perception of product, financial, and privacy risk associated with online shopping. Consumers’ previous online shopping experience, the three types of risk perceptions were examined as antecedents of online purchase intentions. This research proposed a conceptual model that illustrates the relationships between the variables and examined the relationships among male and female online shoppers for different product categories being purchased online. The researcher conducted a pre-test, using a convenience sample of 40 undergraduate students at a southern university, and a main test, using a convenience sample of 336 undergraduate students. Results from the pre-test were used to modify the questionnaire that was finally used for the main study. Results from the main study provided insights on the relationships among consumers’ previous online shopping experience, the three types of risk perceptions, and purchase intentions, in the context of shopping for two types of products, apparel and music products (e.g. CDs, videos). Results indicated that male online shoppers perceived higher level of privacy risks than female online shoppers in online apparel and music shopping. Overall, previous online shopping experience had a significant positive influence on consumers’ online purchase intentions regardless of the product category and gender. It appeared that, in online apparel shopping, men tend to perceive higher privacy risk with increased experience in online apparel shopping, whereas such impact was insignificant for female respondents. It was also found that men perceived more product risk, whereas women perceived less product risk with increased online apparel shopping experience. A similar pattern was observed in online music shopping as well. In general, women were more likely to use purchase both products on the Internet than men.