The dynamics of trust in B2C e-commerce: a research model and agenda

Trust is a key factor that determines the success of Business to Consumer (B2C) e-commerce transactions. Research has identified several critical factors that influence trust. These have been incorporated into the design of e-commerce web portals; however a vast majority of potential users are still wary of online business transactions. This points to the need for the development of more sophisticated and comprehensive models that can provide additional insights into the true role played by trust in the adoption of e-commerce portals. Here we do so by focusing on trust as it pertains to B2C e-commerce transactions. Pertinent issues addressed are: (1) Is trust the critical factor that makes all the difference between users accepting or rejecting a B2C portal? (2) Are there factors that could play a more critical role in user acceptance/rejection of such portals? (3) If so, what is the relevance of trust relative to these factors? The research model and agenda introduced here enable researchers to view trust in its proper perspective as part of the bigger picture of technology acceptance.