A qualitative exploration of a consumer's value-based e-trust building process: A framework development

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to develop a value-based framework for the consumer e-trust building process. Design/methodology/approach - The data collection procedure consisted of two steps. The first was a brief questionnaire measuring potential informants' personal values. From this pool of potential informants, 30 were recruited for the interviews: Five security- and five excitement-minded consumers from three fields of electronic commerce; electronic newspapers, electronic grocery shopping, and electronic healthcare services. Findings - The findings of the study reveal two value-based external factors in e-trust building that consumers perceive as risks in e-commerce, and three value-based behavioral patterns in e-trust building that informants adopt to reduce perceived risks and build trust in e-commerce. Furthermore, findings of the current study suggest that e-trust building process is different based on individuals' personal values. Research limitations/implications - This study takes into account only two consumers' personal values, security and excitement, and ignores others. However, it identifies the role of the consumers' personal values in e-trust building, and thus opens new perspectives for further e-trust research. The study also identifies different strategies that consumers can use to build trust in e-commerce. Originality/value - This study opens new perspectives in e-trust research by exploring the role of consumers' personal values in e-trust building process. The study also provides new insights for other researchers to develop understanding on mechanisms that consumers use to build e-trust.