Analysis of Perceived Risks by Online Consumers: The Case of an Exporting SME from Costa Rica

Abstract

This research analyzed the acceptance of e-commerce on the website of a Costa Rican SME through a mixed-method design that triangulated conscious survey data with unconscious neuromarketing metrics (Eye-Tracking, Face Reader) in a sample of 67 women. Multiple regression confirmed Perceived Utility and Usefulness as the only significant predictors of conscious acceptance. However, biometric analysis revealed a critical discrepancy: the "Refund Policy" captured 61% of the total visual time, demonstrating that risk mitigation is the dominant unconscious barrier. This finding, along with a 65% purchase abandonment rate due to usability failures, concludes that perceived risk—while consciously insignificant—generates a "Neutral" emotional experience and is the primary driver of abandonment at the unconscious behavioral level.