Security Perception and Customer Patronage of Shopping Malls in Port Harcourt, Rivers State

HAR; Joseph Terwase; PhD

doi:10.56201/ijmcs.v10.no7.2026.pg65.73

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Security Perception and Customer Patronage of Shopping Malls in Port Harcourt, Rivers State

HAR, Joseph Terwase, PhD

Abstract

The study examined the relationship between security perception and customer patronage of shopping malls in Port Harcourt. The specific objectives were to determine the relationship between perceived physical security measures and customer patronage, and to examine the relationship between perceived surveillance and monitoring systems and customer patronage. The study was anchored on the Theory of Planned Behaviour. A descriptive survey research design was adopted, and data were collected from a sample of 391 respondents drawn from selected shopping malls within the study area. A structured questionnaire was used as the instrument for data collection. The validity of the instrument was established through expert review, while reliability was determined using Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics and Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient at a 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that perceived physical security measures have a strong and significant positive relationship with customer patronage of shopping malls. The result further showed that perceived surveillance and monitoring systems also have a strong and significant positive relationship with customer patronage. This implies that customers are more likely to patronize shopping malls where they perceive adequate physical security arrangements and effective surveillance systems. The study concluded that security perception is a critical determinant of customer patronage in shopping malls, particularly in urban environments where safety concerns are prevalent. The study recommended that mall management should strengthen visible physical security measures and invest in advanced surveillance systems to improve customers’ sense of safety. It also recommended continuous maintenance of security infrastructure and improved coordination with security agencies to enhance overall safety perception and encourage sustained patronage of shopping malls in the study area.

Keywords

Security Perception; Customer Patronage; Physical Security Measures; Surveillance Systems.

References

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Security Perception and Customer Patronage of Shopping Malls in Port Harcourt, Rivers State

Abstract

Keywords

References

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