Exploring Consumers Risk Mitigation Strategies in E-Commerce: A Qualitative Study of High-Risk Transactions

The recent Covid-19 pandemic has led to a sharp increase in online shopping. While the promises of shopping on e-commerce platforms are vast, there are simultaneously novel and exacerbated risks compared to traditional brick-and-mortar retail purchases. Existing research outlines numerous risk dimensions associated with online shopping. In addition, scholars examine the underlying reasons for consumers' risk perceptions, such as the inability of physical quality checks. However, there is a lack of research investigating how consumers attempt to navigate and mitigate risk perceptions when confronted with a high-risk online transaction. To address this research gap, we conducted 18 semi-structured interviews with consumers who had recently performed an online transaction associated with high-risk perceptions. Our study contributes to the existing literature by identifying an affective and cognitive risk mitigation strategy and respective underlying mechanisms. Notably, we find that online social networks play a central role in shaping consumers' risk perceptions.