Abstract:

Research to date into how consumer trust can be built in an on-line environment is limited and varies considerably in terms of the dimensions of the problem examined. Consequently, much of our understanding of the antecedents of trust in on-line shopping context remains fragmented. This paper describes a study in which a previously validated measurement instrument is used to investigate the
existence and importance of specific factors that are thought to predict the generation of consumer trust in Internet shopping in Ireland. The detailed insights afforded by this study provide a refined understanding of the predictors of trust in an electronic purchase environment and thus make a valuable contribution not only to information
systems research, but also to the overall body of marketing, trust and diffusion research. The findings of this research are of potential benefit to on-line vendors of all types who seek to engender consumer trust in their websites.