A great number of consumers benefit from Electronic Commerce, such as purchase convenience, reducing shopping time, and various kinds of product at internet shopping mall. However, as transaction through new medium, "Internet",increase rapidly, many problems related to trust emerge. Therefore, trust is one of the important things not only in traditional transaction, but also in new transaction, Electronic Commerce.
The main purpose in this study is to develop systematic online purchase decision making model by examining the determinants of trust in online purchase situations and its consequential implications.
The conceptual model of this study is illustrated as below.
◁그림 삽입▷(원문을 참조하세요)
As the antecedents of trust in internet shopping mall merchant, perceived characteristics of trustee, internet shopping mall merchant-ability, benevolence, integrity-are considered in this study. Similarly, as the antecedents of trust in internet shopping mall site, perceived characteristics of trustee, internet shopping mall site-technical competence, user interface, dependability-are considered. Especially, the characteristics of trustor-trust propensity, attitude toward technology, relationship orientation-are considered as direct influence factors on consequences of trust. And then, current purchase or choice intention and future relationship development intention are considered as the consequences of trust in this online purchase decision making model.
The data for the present study were collected through questionnaire and all measures were self-administered by respondents. On questionnaire, respondent-trustor-was guided to associate the internet shopping mall which he or she has experience in purchasing at this internet shopping mall or visiting shopping mall site at least one time. This associated target internet shopping mall plays the role of the trustee in model, so trust in this model means directional: from a given trustor to a given trustee. The sample consisted of 200 respondents who are accustomed to internet and have experience in purchasing at this internet shopping mall or visiting shopping mall site.
Analysis techniques used to test the hypotheses are Frequency analysis, Pearson Correlation analysis, and path analysis using Multiple Regression analysis.
The major findings of this study as follows:
First, the test of reliability showed enough high internal consistency for each of measurement scales.
Second, the results of correlation analysis reported that the perceived characteristics of internet shopping mall merchant and shopping mall site correlated positively with each trust. Trustor`s propensity to trust was statistically significant in correlation with the perceived benevolence and integrity, but didn`t correlate significantly with ability and the trust in internet shopping mall merchant. In addition to, trustor`s attitude toward technology was not statistically significant in correlation with any characteristic of internet shopping mall site. On the other hand, it correlate positively with the trust in internet shopping mall site. Next, all the perceived characteristics of trustee-ability, benevolence, integrity, technical competence, user interface, dependability-correlated strongly and positively with each trust. Each trust in associated internet shopping mall was, also, strong and positive in correlation with all the outcome variables: current intention of purchase or choice and future intention of relationship development.
Third, path analysis was conducted to examine causal relationships among variables. The results showed that the direct causal impacts of the perceived characteristics of trustee-ability, benevolence, integrity, technical competence, user interface, dependability-on each trust in internet shopping mall are statistically and positively significant.
Each net effect of the perceived characteristics of trustee remains very strong even after the other antecedents of trust in this model are controlled, which is, as expected, a significant and strong predictor of the trust for a trustee. The impacts of each trust in internet shopping mall merchant and shopping mall site not only on the current purchase or choice intention, but also on the future relationship development intention are statistically and positively significant. It means that the trust in internet shopping mall plays a role as "order winner" which enables consumer to choose a specific seller among various alternatives as well as a role as a driver of making long-term relationship with seller.
Forth, An interesting result was found in ad hoc regression analysis, propensity to trust has no casual impact on trust in internet shopping mall merchant. However, the direct casual impact of attitude toward technology on trust in internet shopping mall site is significant positively. Relationship orientation does not have impact on the current purchase or choice intention, but on the future relationship development intention. Even though, it is not considered in conceptual model of this study, trust in internet shopping mall site has relatively high, positive, and direct impact on the future relationship development intention.
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In sum, in spite of some limitation in research design and method, the empirical results of this study suggest there be a recognition on the part of internet business player, especially, internet shopping mall company that trust plays a central role in consumer`s online purchase decision making process. Additionally, this study will be an initial step toward articulating a theoretical framework for future research on how trust in internet shopping mall and Electronic Commerce is built up and what is the consequential implications of trust, what is called, e-Trust.
