Online Firms’ Management of Customer Risk and Risk Perceptions in Ghana: Evidence from Selected Online Firms

In developing countries like Ghana, where Information Technology (IT) usage is still developing widespread use, understanding the risk and perceptions of online business is not only essential for improving purchase likelihood for customers and individual firms’ products but critical for the general growth and development of E-commerce in the country. This study examines the risk perceptions of customers of online firms in Ghana and evaluates strategies adopted by online firms to address these risks perceptions in the country. The study uses primary data from a field survey of 43 workers and 78 customers of 13 online firms in Ghana where the empirical investigation reveals that the negative risk perceptions of online customers emanate from various factors including ‘technological illiteracy’, poor safety and privacy policies, prior security breaches, poor electronic payment platforms, low awareness among others. The study also finds that despite the adoption of various strategies to eradicate these perceptions and improve traffic to online business portals, these perceptions are still in existence and continue to persist. The evidences also point to the fact that online firms in Ghana need to adopt better and more secure servers and create public awareness of their level of security in order to stimulate customer confidence in online business safety.