Does Trust Really Matter in Electronic Shopping? A Comparison Study of Korean, Taiwanese, and UK Consumers

Abstract

Electronic shopping has become an ever-increasing phenomenon in

the online business world. A conceptual challenge in exploring the role

of trust in e-commerce is translating an inherently individual level

concept, particularly in a repurchasing context, but a complete

understanding of consumer trust, attitudes and repurchasing intentions

is still limited. Previous studies reveal that numerous consumers do not

trust most firms, which deal with electronic business. Using a crosscultural

approach, this study empirically examines the impact of levels

of consumer trust on repurchasing intentions through the mediating

variable, internet usage behavior. Based on responses from three

countries (South Korea, Taiwan and UK), the results show that

consumers have different levels of trust on repurchasing intentions,

indicating that there are different relationships between trust, repurchase intent, and internet usage behavior. Managerial implications

and future research directions are also discussed.