Analysis of perceived risk for tactile products in different shopping contexts

Abstract

The following study analyzes consumer risk aversion for tactile products. There are five main types of perceived risk, which include financial, time, social, psychological, and product risk related to product performance. With the growth of e-commerce, recreating a sensory experience that customers can enjoy during their shopping in-store. The main concern for online customers when shopping for tactile products is the inability to touch, feel, and interact with the product. This increases mental intangibility, which reflects the inability to create a credible picture of a product and be able to evaluate it with the limited information rovided. A quantitative approach was conducted to analyze the influence of different types of perceived risks, which confirmed that performance risk is the most significant. Providing sufficient product descriptions, reviews, comparisons, and visualizations can be one of the many mitigation techniques used to address this risk, specifically for customers who exhibit concrete thinking. Concrete thinkers are people who focus on a product’s physical and functional qualities, in contrast to abstract thinkers, who focus more on its symbolic significance and how it reflects their social image. The study aimed to check if a product’s level of involvement, whether high or low involvement, affects shopping behavior or confidence when purchasing. However, the test results were insignificant, suggesting either that involvement does not influence decision-making or that the study should be reiterated using a more specific, less generalized approach.

Date of Award	3 Feb 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Daniel Fernandes (Supervisor)