對線上購物而言，知覺風險扮演一個很重要的角色。消費者在收集資訊以及決策制定之前，即會產生一知覺風險的評估，因此，知覺風險可視為是觸發個人對線上購物之知覺的重要元素。為了闡明青少年對線上購物之知覺，本研究擬探討青少年之知覺風險的前置變數與結果變數。針對前置變數而言，Chou & Ting (2003)認為偏好及習慣可以解釋消費者的決策，根據此一論點，本研究將嘗試以個人一般性的偏好(即風險態度)以及與網路相關之習慣(即線上購物成癮程度)來預測青少年對於線上購物之知覺風險。此外，根據Babin et al. (1994)與Hartman et al. (2006)的理論，知覺風險的結果變數則包括享樂型與實用型兩種線上購物之知覺。除了探討知覺風險與線上購物知覺的關係之外，本研究亦探討了涉入程度及主觀規範對於此一關係的干擾效果。
本研究之範疇鎖定在青少年之線上購物知覺。青少年是網路使用者最主要的族群，且多數沉迷於網路之訊息及活動。此外，過去研究亦顯示青少年的年齡並不會影響知覺風險的程度，此一結果表示青少年的年齡並不會干擾本研究之假設關係。這些證據均指出青少年族群是本研究適宜之樣本。本研究期能針對青少年行為的研究領域，提供有趣且領先的結果。
Perceived risk plays an important role in online shopping. Since perceived risk occurs prior to decision making and information search (Pires et al., 2004), it can be deemed as a trigger for exploring individual’s whole perception toward online shopping. In order to clarify adolescents’ perception toward online shopping, this study attempts to explore the antecedents of adolescents’ perceived risk toward online shopping and its consequences. In terms of the antecedents, based on Chou and Ting’s (2003) argument that preference and habit could explain the consumption decisions made by consumers, this study uses the general preference based on personal traits (i.e., risk attitude) and Internet-related habit (i.e., levels of online game addiction) to predict adolescent’s perceived risk toward online shopping. Moreover, the consequent variables are concerned with two types of online-shopping perceptions including hedonic and utilitarian based on Babin et al.’s (1994) and Hartman et al.’s (2006) theories. Finally, while consumers’ perceived risk has been found to be negatively related to their hedonic and utilitarian behaviors, involvement and subjective norm serve as positive moderators to attenuate the negative influence of adolescents’ perceived risk on hedonic/utilitarian online shopping perception.
The research scope of this study is confined to adolescents’ perception in the context of online shopping. Adolescents are the major population of Internet users, and many of them are addicted to the messages and activity on the Internet. Previous studies showed that ages would not affect perceived risk for adolescents. These evidences point out it is proper to align the research focus on adolescent perceptions in the context of online shopping. The results of this study may be attractive and create a new cutting edge for field of adolescent behavior.
