Building Trust Online
Building Trust Online
What is considered online trust?
When we consider the internet for how it is today, we should also consider trust and what develops that, particularly when it comes to online commerce. As you might expect, establishing online trust differs from establishing trust between persons, although there are some commonalities. For trust to exist, there must be a sense of vulnerability. Corritore et al. defines online trust as, “an attitude of confident expectation in an online situation of risk that one’s vulnerabilities will not be exploited.” Anything we do online can be dangerous, especially when it comes to online buying, customers risk revealing personal information while making payments to an e-vendor. This payment is designed to be secure enough for the consumer to have confidence in the website and transaction.
Trust between consumers and their preferred online vendor is a critical component for businesses, especially as the popularity of e-commerce grows year after year; the future of eCommerce is dependent on trust. Research has shown that the majority of online shoppers are concerned when shopping online. If a climate of trust was created, consumers would be relieved of disclosing information while online merchants would gain confidence in their performance and build long-term relationships with consumers to get rid of doubts and their reluctance to engage with eCommerce sites.
How to build online trust with consumers
There are a number of factors that contribute to what is considered gaining trust online; this article will discuss a few methods for websites and even retailers to build trust with their customers;
Certification
Obtaining certifications that assure consumers that the site they are using is secure is one of the simplest ways to begin building trust for an online commerce website. Ecommerce sites can display a badge that indicates that the online shopper's information is secure via a third party. Businesses can take additional steps to ensure data protection, such as using trust seals and security certificates, to alleviate customer concerns about fraud and confidentiality.
Transparency
If a company's media appearances are published and seen in media outlets, it can increase its credibility and influence; it is also a good way for brands to showcase information and make positive connections and engagements with their consumers through their websites.
Another way to maintain and build consumer trust is to provide ratings and peer reviews that include both positive and negative feedback on product and service quality and quantity. This is a method of establishing credibility for genuine product and business evaluations through a third party, which can add authenticity to the business. Further to that, authenticity can be demonstrated in multiple ways; statistics add another layer of transparency for consumers evaluating a company's products and services. So, by displaying information and numbers, a company can gain the trust of more potential customers.
A Human Connection
A human connection is personal and gives something consumers to relate to. There are multiple ways to demonstrate a human connection online; for example, offering a form of connection, such as face-to-face interactions on a website, can increase the amount of trust consumers have in the business and site. Human connection can be achieved by including images and videos of people where appropriate, which can have a positive impact on the site. Having chat options, such as displaying the names and contact information of services or a 24/7 live chat that customers can find by clicking on icons that appear when they interact with a website, can help reassure customers who have any questions or concerns!
-
https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.90.2184&rep=rep1&type=pdf
https://vwo.com/blog/trust-in-ecommerce/
https://www.buysafe.com/businesses/