Consumer Uncertainty in Online Food Purchase Behavior: An Analysis of the Online Food Safety Problem

摘要

This study develop a theoretical framework describing the uncertainty-based decision making process when a consumer purchasing food online in China. Drawn on the information asymmetry theory and based on a survey of 710 randomly selected online food buyers in China, the results show that website seller uncertainty and food uncertainty are critical barriers in consumers' online food purchase decision making. Furthermore, the majority of the antecedents mitigate consumers' perceived uncertainty. These findings show that the food vendor and website managers can mitigate uncertainty by providing a secure and user-friendly food shopping environment in China.