Consumer Trust in E-Commerce
Mohd Harish
MBA Student, School of Business, Galgotias University, Greater Noida
Dr. Anshu Goel
Assistant Professor, School of Business,
Galgotias University, Greater Noida
Abstract: Consumer trust has become one of the foundations of effective e-commerce activities in the busy digital marketplace that changes rapidly. In the present paper, the researchers explore the centrality of trust in determining the consumer experience and buyer behavior in online stores. The paper explains and analyzes five key dimensions that highly determine consumer confidence: security, usability of the web site, quality of customer service, transparency of business conducts and the availability of social proofs in form of reviews and ratings.
Through primary data obtained after conducting a survey on more than 50 individuals who regularly shop online, the study illustrates the common issues which consumers have, especially the sensitivity of data privacy, availability of secure payment gateway, transparency of returns and refunds policies, and the dependability of delivery schedule of the purchased products. The analysis indicates that trust deficit in either of these dimensions may cause cart abandonment, lack of customer retention, and negative word-of-mouth.
Further, the results also highlight the increased significance of customer-focused approaches putting emphasis on safety, communication and after sales services. The paper ends with practical recommendations to e-commerce enterprise that can be followed to ensure that there is enhancement of strong cyber security measures, responsive customer services platforms, transparent operational policies, and active management of user-generated content to build social credibility. These are the strategies that are needed not only to develop the trust but also to achieve the long-term customer loyalty and competitive advantage in the digital economy.
Index Terms – Consumer trust, e-commerce, online shopping, security, user experience, customer satisfaction, digital behavior, transparency, social proof
