Abstract
The introduction of e-commerce holds substantial potential for marketing and selling products and services online while also introducing a plethora of risks and concerns for consumers. In the context of business-to-consumer (B2C) electronic commerce (e-commerce), the consumer compares not only product and pricing alternatives, but also the risks of conducting the transaction online. Maintaining trust in a risk ridden environment provids challenges for many online businesses. E-commerce, although growing in usage, is also experiencing a growing hostility from non-users and from previous users who have determined not to return. Small to medium enterprise (SMEs) who are starting in the e-commerce arena are at a disadvantage in presenting a trustworthy venture not having the reputation, finances or infrastructure to create an online business that exudes safety, security and trust. The SME must explore methods that will assist them in surviving the competitive e-commerce market place. This paper will explore SMEs that have developed start-up Internet based e-commerce businesses in Australia and the methods they have engaged to keep trust and loyalty. It concludes that trust, once gained, is very fragile requiring constant vigilance, essential to overcome the risks that will sustain trust and loyalty in clients. In conclusion this paper offers guidelines for new B2C e-commerce SMEs to assist in reducing security and business risks.
Highlights
Trust and Mistrust in E-commerceThe evolution of the Internet has taken it from a tool used solely for research by researchers to a market force in the consumer network, offering goods and services outside of the consumer’s physical locality and time zone
In conclusion this paper offers guidelines for new B2C e-commerce Small to medium enterprise (SMEs) to assist in reducing security and business risks
The notion of trust is especially relevant in the online context where the intended purchase may be from a supplier that is operating in a different country, time zone, currency and legal system, rendering data vulnerable to security breaches and misuse
Summary
The evolution of the Internet has taken it from a tool used solely for research by researchers to a market force in the consumer network, offering goods and services outside of the consumer’s physical locality and time zone. The issues facing B2C Internet ecommerce over the coming years must relate more to minimise perceived risk to consumers in a bid to hold onto their trust once the initial trust has been achieved if B2C Internet ecommerce is to continue to thrive It must not be underestimated how difficult it is for SMEs to build the initial trust of consumers given their inability to compete with larger enterprises with greater resources availalbe to ensure secure infrastructure, reputation, presence and trust. The paper will explore SMEs that have developed start-up Internet based e-commerce businesses in Australia and the methods they have engaged to keep trust and loyalty of engaged clients. It will propose a set of guidelines to assist in reducing security issues and business risks in order to encourage ongoing consumer trust, thereby reducing the opportunity for mistrust
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