Perceived risk mediation of website quality in online clothing shopping in a South African township

Abstract

South Africa lags behind other economies regarding online shopping adoption. Extant literature has focused on the influence of risk factors on consumers’ intention to shop online. However, few studies have considered the effect that mediating factors can have on relationships between other factors related to online shopping. It is particularly important to determine the mediation effect of perceived risk factors on the relationship between perceived website quality and intentions to shop online. A quantitative survey was used to collect data from 300 online shoppers who purchase clothing online and are located in the Soweto Township in Gauteng, South Africa. Perceived website quality was found to have an unexpected, direct positive influence on perceptions regarding perceived social risk, time risk, product risk and financial risk, as well as on intention to shop online. However, perceived website quality also had a direct negative impact on perceived security risk (as perceived website quality increased perceived security risk decreased). The perceived risk factors did not display statistically significant indirect effects (mediation) between perceived website quality and the intention to shop online. This paper contributes to the S-O-R theory in relation to website quality risk factors, perceived risk factors and the intention to shop online. The paper may help online retailers improve website quality by considering the impact of the perceived risk factors from a practical perspective.