Risk relievers in mail-order catalogue retailing: The case of the high-frequency purchaser of low-involvement products

Abstract

This article reports on the identification of how various risk relievers, available to consumers and mail-order catalogue organisations, influence general risk perception. Consumers who have purchased low-involvement products on a number of occasions by mail-order constitute the sample. The findings are that two of the major risk relievers significantly reduce, whilst another one increases, the general risk perceptions of mail-order customers when buying low-involvement goods. These findings are important to mail-order catalogue managers because they confirm that a variety of risk relievers need to be offered to ensure that perceived risks are properly addressed.