The perceived risk of online shopping : a sociological investigation

Abstract

In this dissertation, I investigated the concept of perceived risk concerning online shopping from the standpoint of young adults, determining whether consumers perceive risk when shopping online and how much value they place on it. This statement, which was also my main research objective in this study, was met through data collection, which was made possible by the use of semi-structured interviews hence, a qualitative research method. The research approach used in this study was vital to the development of data because it enables the young adult participants' perspectives on risk, which are also a representative of their age demographic, to be communicated. Through my use of semi-structured in services, I was able to produce as near as possible, reliable results that were then, extracted after systemically analysing the data. To interpret this study in light of the literature discussed in this dissertation's literature review, I designed the set of questions in such a way that they could systemically target the above-mentioned main objective of this study, as well as act as a tool for gathering a useful body of data. I then incorporated key points from the literature to the primary themes discovered in the data analysis chapter, resulting in a conclusion that primarily focuses on the aspects of perceived risk concerning online shopping from the perspective of young adults. Furthermore, this dissertation not only provides the reader with research question-oriented results, but it also suggests ways in which this study can be framed and subsequently researched on a larger-scale level in order to expand the notion of risk to other existing areas of interest within academia.