An Integrated Model of Influential Antecedents of Online Shopping Initial Trust: Empirical Evidence in a Low-Trust Environment

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article explores the issue of what factors contribute to which dimensions of consumers' initial trust in online vendors in a relatively low-trust environment such as the People's Republic of China. The article has adopted the trust model proposed by McKnight and Chervany (2002) McKnight, D. H. and Chervany, N. L. 2002. “What trust means in e-commerce customer relationships: An interdisciplinary conceptual typology. International Journal of Electronic Commerce, 6(2): 35–59. [Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar] and explored the determinant factors of online shopping initial trust through building an integrated model. In our model, a multidimensional approach has been applied. Through hierarchical regression analysis, we find that distinct discrepancies do exist between influential antecedents of consumer initial trust in online vendors in a low-trust environment like China and those in a high-trust environment. Specifically, perceived corporate image, perceived security, and perceived reference power are influential antecedents of all three dimensions of trusting beliefs (except the effect of perceived security on ability and the effect of perceived reference power on benevolence), but perceived Web site quality is found to exert no significant influence on trusting beliefs, and it can moderate trusting intentions. Moreover, in contrast to prior studies conducted in high-trust environments, our research finds that trusting intentions are significantly influenced by consumers' trust in the firm's integrity rather than their trust in its ability or benevolence. Additionally, we find little support for the hypothesis that a consumer's disposition to trust has a direct or a moderating effect on initial trust in an online vendor.