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The persuasiveness of online safety cues: The impact of prevention focus compatibility of Web content on consumers’ risk perceptions, attitudes, and intentions

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  • Noort, Guda Van
  • Kerkhof, Peter
  • Fennis, Bob M.

Abstract

Safety cues are frequently used in online stores to relieve consumers’ risk perceptions concerning online purchases. This paper uses regulatory focus theory (RFT) to predict the persuasiveness of online safety cues. According to RFT (Higgins, 1997), people process information differently depending on whether they strive for achieving gains (promotion focus) or avoiding losses (prevention focus). The aim of the present study is to examine the impact of the regulatory focus compatibility of Web content on online consumer behavior. Using different online stores, two experiments show that the effect of online safety cues depends on the consumers’regulatory focus. A pilot study demonstrates that safety-oriented Web content lowers consumers’ risk perceptions, but only when in a prevention focus. The main study replicates and extends this finding by showing that online safety cues both lower consumers’ risk perceptions and engender more favorable attitudes and intentions, depending on the regulatory focus.

Suggested Citation

  • Noort, Guda Van & Kerkhof, Peter & Fennis, Bob M., 2008. "The persuasiveness of online safety cues: The impact of prevention focus compatibility of Web content on consumers’ risk perceptions, attitudes, and intentions," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 22(4), pages 58-72.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:joinma:v:22:y:2008:i:4:p:58-72
    DOI: 10.1002/dir.20121
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Shiu, Edward & Walsh, Gianfranco & Hassan, Louise M. & Parry, Sara, 2015. "The direct and moderating influences of individual-level cultural values within web engagement: A multi-country analysis of a public information website," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 68(3), pages 534-541.
    3. Aghekyan-Simonian, Mariné & Forsythe, Sandra & Suk Kwon, Wi & Chattaraman, Veena, 2012. "The role of product brand image and online store image on perceived risks and online purchase intentions for apparel," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 19(3), pages 325-331.
    4. Matea Matic & Katija Vojvodic, 2014. "Customer-Perceived Insecurity of Online Shopping Environment," International Review of Management and Marketing, Econjournals, vol. 4(1), pages 59-65.
    5. Ashraf, Abdul R. & Thongpapanl, Narongsak (Tek), 2015. "Connecting with and Converting Shoppers into Customers: Investigating the Role of Regulatory Fit in the Online Customer's Decision-making Process," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 13-25.
    6. Chakraborty, Debarun & Paul, Justin, 2023. "Healthcare apps’ purchase intention: A consumption values perspective," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    7. Nepomuceno, Marcelo Vinhal & Laroche, Michel & Richard, Marie-Odile, 2014. "How to reduce perceived risk when buying online: The interactions between intangibility, product knowledge, brand familiarity, privacy and security concerns," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 21(4), pages 619-629.
    8. Steinhart, Yael & Kamins, Michael A. & Mazursky, David & Noy, Avraham, 2013. "Thinking or Feeling the Risk in Online Auctions: The Effects of Priming Auction Outcomes and the Dual System on Risk Perception and Amount Bid," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 27(1), pages 47-61.
    9. Hofacker, Charles F. & de Ruyter, Ko & Lurie, Nicholas H. & Manchanda, Puneet & Donaldson, Jeff, 2016. "Gamification and Mobile Marketing Effectiveness," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 25-36.

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