Exploring Multidimensions of Product Performance Risk in the Online Apparel Shopping Context

Abstract

Online consumers have the limitation of product experience and evaluation, due to the inability to directly experience the product, thereby increasing perceived risk of product performance. This study investigated the dimensions of product performance risk that relate to virtual product experience in online apparel shopping. Perceived risk theory was applied to explain consumers’ risk perceptions of product performance. Data were collected from 403 female college students at a Midwestern university using a web-based survey. Results indicate that online consumers perceived visual, tactile, and trial risks of product performance based on the evaluation of product attributes through virtual product experience. Visual, tactile, and trial risks may help online consumers determine more specific product performance characteristics related to product attributes. Attention to the three dimensions of product performance risk may allow online retailers to develop more differentiated virtual product experience strategies to reduce each dimensional risk of product performance in online apparel shopping.