Transaction Assurance and Digital Promotion in Online Retail: Implications for Small Enterprise Development

Abstract

Digital promotion can extend an enterprise’s reach, but participation in online markets also depends on customer confidence in payment, seller performance and fulfilment. This article examines how promotional exposure and perceived transaction security relate to consumer evaluations, and develops implications for small enterprise support. A cross-sectional survey yielded 53 responses between 18 July and 7 August 2026; purchase and consent screening retained 46 recent online shoppers. The existing analysis used partial least squares structural equation modelling with 5,000 bootstrap resamples, supplemented by rank correlations, channel comparisons and robust regressions. Promotional exposure was associated with attitude towards online shopping (β = 0.652), while perceived security was associated with store trust (β = 0.588). Attitude and satisfaction were positively associated with purchase intention; trust’s adjusted direct coefficient was inconclusive. Social media and search had higher mean exposure scores than email. A self-reported shopping index was associated with intention, but its low reliability and mixed content prevent interpretation as verified conversion. The proposed assurance-to-action framework connects customer discovery, transaction assurance and service experience to enterprise diagnostics. Practical applications include checkout support, clear transaction information, reliable fulfilment and monitoring of completed orders and margins. The small convenience sample, construct overlap and unresolved indirect-effect reporting make the findings provisional. Enterprise size, livelihood outcomes and financial inclusion were not measured; these remain priorities for field evaluation.