Background: Online shopping adoption has been rising in South Africa (SA). However, there is still a large majority of consumers who are not buying online because of certain risks associated with online shopping. This is despite the fact that internet adoption has increased and is widely accessible by the majority of South African consumers.Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the risk factors that influence consumers’ attitude towards online shopping in SA. Furthermore, the study aimed to determine whether demographic factors influence the risk factors of consumers’ attitude towards online shopping in SA.Method: A survey was conducted at two shopping malls in Gauteng, SA, targeting online consumers. A convenience sampling method was used to reach the respondents.Results: The study found that privacy and security risks have more influence on consumers’ attitude towards online shopping. Furthermore, the study found no moderating effect of gender on the relationship between risks and attitude towards online shopping. Age was found to have a moderating effect on the relationship between product, security and privacy risks and attitude towards online shopping; however, not on the relationship between product risk and attitude towards online shopping.Conclusion: In conclusion, privacy and security risk factors have more influence on consumer attitude towards online shopping. Gender was found to have no moderating effect on the relationship between risk factors and attitude towards online shopping, whilst age had a moderating influence on relationship between privacy and security, as well as product factors and attitude towards online shopping. Marketers can address product concerns if they were to succeed online and to draw more customers to shopping online.

Orientation: The advances in technology have resulted in an increasing number of people choosing to shop online, globally. Despite the growing number of those shopping online and online retailers, most customers continue to avoid shopping online. This could be because of risks inherent in online shopping that have resulted in some consumers opting not to shop online.Research purpose: The main aim of the research study is to identify the risks influencing consumers’ attitude towards online purchases.Motivation for the study: The study was driven by the need to determine the risks associated with online shopping that influence whether consumers will shop online or not.Research design, approach and method: A survey, using the non-probability convenience sampling method, was used to reach respondents (207 consumers in South Africa who visited two shopping malls) in Gauteng, South Africa. Data were collected from consumers at the two shopping malls from March 2019 to April 2019. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to test the conceptual model for the study.Main findings: The results showed that product risk and privacy risk influence consumer attitude in online shopping positively and that delivery risk does not to have a great influence on attitude towards online shopping. The attitude towards online shopping was also found to positively influence their intention to shop online.Practical/managerial implications: The practical implications for this study would be that retail owners and marketers would understand and manage product and privacy as risks that inhibit consumers from shopping online. Retailers should formulate appropriate marketing and retail strategies that address these risks to change consumers’ perceptions about online shopping and reduce the level of risks related to online shopping.Contribution/value-add: Marketing and retail strategies should include strategies on how product risk and privacy risks will be managed and reduced to ensure they do not influence consumer’s attitude against online shopping.