Types of structural assurance and their relationships with trusting intentions in business-to-consumer e-commerce

This study examines the effects of different types of structural assurance mechanisms on trusting intention in business-to-consumer electronic commerce. Inconsistent results from prior research on structural assurance motivated the current study to further explore the nature of structural assurance. Based on the Institution-based Trust Theory, this paper proposes that different types of structural assurance mechanisms, specifically: seals of approval, vendor-specific guarantees, protections from credit card companies and transaction protections, may have their unique effects on trusting intentions. The results indicate that customer perceptions about seals of approval and vendor-specific guarantees can significantly influence trusting intentions while perceptions about protections from credit card companies, legal systems and technology infrastructures do not.