The Role of Perceived Risk, Trust, Ewom and Other Selected Factors on Purchase Intention and User Satisfaction and Its Relationship to User Loyalty in the Context of Online Shopping in India

The study examines the effect of perceived risk, trust, perceived benefits, electronic word of mouth (eWOM), and brand attitude on online purchase intention and user satisfaction in India. The study refers to the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and an analytical research design to test the effects of selected variables in its theoretical framework. The research questions are focused on the relationship between perceived risk, trust, and perceived benefits on online purchase intention, user satisfaction, and user loyalty. The study found that perceived risk negatively affected online purchase intention and user satisfaction, while trust positively influenced them. Perceived benefits had a positive relationship with online purchase intention and user satisfaction. Hedonic, utilitarian, and social values of perceived benefits were significant predictors of online purchase intention. The study contributes to the existing model by adding selected variables for further testing. The study found that online trust, perceived benefits, electronic word of mouth, and brand attitude have a significant positive impact on user satisfaction, while perceived risk has a significant negative impact. Brand attitude had the largest impact on user satisfaction, followed by online trust. The study suggests that businesses should focus on improving brand attitude to increase purchase intention, mitigate perceived risk by emphasizing benefits and providing credible information over the net, and maintain a positive online identity and reputation to increase trust. The study also suggests that there is a moderate positive relationship between User Satisfaction and User Loyalty.