Managing Trust in the Online Customer Journey: Evidence from an Emerging Market

Description

Purpose – Gaining and maintaining trust within the customer journey of online shoppers is a crucial component for purchasing online. More specifically, in emerging markets, where online shopping currently evolves, understanding trust, its antecedents and consequences is important. Therefore, this study examines antecedents and consequences of consumer trust in online shopping by contrasting advanced and emerging markets building on the trust – and commitment theory along with the technology acceptance as part of the conceptual model. Methodology – To test the formulated hypotheses, data including 397 responses from Austria and 205 from the Republic of Moldova is analysed. Using structural equation modelling, particularly partial least squares (PLS) path modelling, implications for theory and practice in cross-market e-commerce are gained. Findings – Empirical findings show that company reputation, perceived security and perceived website quality positively influence consumer trust in online shopping. Moreover, trust in online shopping corresponds directly positively with consumer's purchase intention. The research confirms the negative relationship between trust and perceived risk as well as perceived risk and purchase intention. Furthermore, a significant difference between Austria and Moldova according to the influence of experience and perceived website quality on trust in online shopping was observed. Originality / value – The research fills important research gaps concerning trust in online shopping within the context of the customer journey and within emerging markets. It contributes theoretically and practically to academic research and reveals the importance for online - retailers to build and maintain customer trust and to reduce the perceived risk within advanced and emerging markets in order to provoke online purchase intentions. Keywords Trust, online shopping, technology acceptance, cross-market, purchase intention Paper type Research paper

Period	26 Jun 2023
Event title	CERR 2023
Event type	Conference
Location	AustriaShow on map