The effects of internet shoppers’ trust on their purchasing intention in china 277
Internet shopping activity can be referred to as a kind of intentional activity phenomenon affected strongly by consumer trust as well Jong Lee, 2000. Some
other studies also suggest that there exists a direct and significant relationship between trust and purchasing intention Jang et al., 2005; Yu Choe, 2003; Yoon, 2000.
Based on most of the prior studies that have demonstrated the direct influence of trust on purchasing intention, the following hypothesis is suggested in this study:
H : Higher consumer trust on an Internet shopping mall will generate more purchasing intention in that Internet shopping mall.
3.2 Operationalization of the Research Variables
Operational definitions and measurements of the research variables are provided in Table 1. We developed outcome variables based on relevant literature. The variables
were measured by a seven-point Likert scale 1=strongly disagree, 7=strongly agree.
[Table 1] Operational Definitions and Measures of the Variables
Variable Operational Definition
Measurement Reference
Trust A set of specific beliefs dealing
primarily with the integrity, benevolence, and ability of another
party’ 1. Effort to meet customer
satisfaction 2. Customer care
3. Trust worthiness 4. Effort to provide high quality
service Gefen et al.,
2003
E-commerce Knowledge
A kind of knowledge about product searching through the Internet
shopping mall, purchasing method, payment process and individual
information protection policy, etc. 1. Familiarity with the online
shopping process 2. Familiarity with the online
shopping method 3. Familiarity with the online
payment process 4. Familiarity with the online
returning process Baek et al.,
2006
Perceived Reputation
A customer’s perception of the Internet shopping mall’s reputation
1. Good reputation 2. Effort to make itself regarded
favorably 3. Good image
Jong Lee, 2000
Perceived Risk A consumer’s perceptions of the
uncertainty and adverse consequences of engaging in an
activity 1. More risk compared with other
ways of shopping 2. Low security
3. Difference between the purchased product and the product
actually delivered 4. Low product quality
5. Harm to human body 6. Uncertainty associated with
Internet shopping
Dowling Staelin, 1994
Vol.4, No. 3, 2007, p. 269-286
Based on most of the prior studies tha ha
t have demonstrated the direct influence of trust on purchasing intention, the fo
fo fo
ll ll
ll o
ow in
g hypoth h
h es
es esis
is is
is suggested in this study: H : Higher consumer trust on
on on an Internet shopping mall w
w il
il il
l l
l ge
g nerate more purchasing
intention in that Internet et
et shopping mall.
3.2 Operationa na
nali za
tion of f
f th
th he
e e
R R
Resear r
r ch
ch ch
V V
V ar
r r
ia a
abl bl
bl es
es es
Op p
p e
e er
at ional de
de de
finition on
o s
and me me
me as
as as
ur ur
ur em
em em
en en
en ts
ts ts
o o
f the rese se
e ar
ch v
v v
ar r
ia i
bles are re
re provided in Table
e e
1 1. We d
d d
ev ev
ev el
el el
op op
op ed out
ut ut
co co
com me variables
es based on
r r
el el
el ev
e e
ant li i
te te
te ra
ra a
tu tu
tu re
r r
. The v v
variables were m
m measure
e e
d d
d by
by by
a a
a sev
v en
en en-
-point Likert scal a
e 1=strongly di di
disa sa
sa gr
g ee
, 7=
7= 7=
st st
st r
rongly a a
agr g
g ee.
[T [
able 1] Operat tio
iona n
l Definitio ons
s and Measur r
es es
of the Variable e
s s
s
V Va
Variab b
ble le
le O
Op O
erat tio
iona na
l Definition Measu
urem ement
Re Re
Re fe
fe fere
re rence
e
Tr Tr
Tr u
us u
t A set of specific be
li li
ef e
s de
de alin
ng g
p primarily with the integ
ri ri
ty ty
, b
benevolence, ,
and ability ty
o o
f f
an another
p pa
art rt
y’ y’
r r
1. E
E f
ffort to
to m
m ee
t customer
sa sa
tisf faction
on 2. C
Cus us
t tome
me r
r care 3. Tru
u st
st w w
or or
th th
iness y
y 4. Effort to
to p
p p
rovi vi
de de
h h
ig ig
h h
qu qu
al al
it ity
y serv
v ic
ic ic
e Gefen
n n
e et al.
. .
, 2
20 2003
E-co o
omm mm
mmer er
erce c
c Know
w wle
e edg
dg dg
e e
e t
t A kind of knowledge about product
t searching through
t the Internet
sh sh
sh op
op op
pi pi
pi ng
ng ng
m m
m al
al al
l l,
l, p
p p
ur u
ur ch
ch as
as s
in in
in g
g g
method, p
p p
pa pa
paym ym
ym en
en en
t t
t pr
p pr
oc oc
oc es
s es
s s an
d d
d in
in in
di di
di vi
vi vidu
du du
al info
rm ation pr
pr pr
ot ot
otec ec
ec ti
ti ti
on policy, e
tc tc
tc .
. 1.
1. 1.
F F
Familiarity with the online s
shopping process 2. Familiarity with the online
shopping method 3.
F F
F am
am am
il il
il ia
ia ia
ri r
rity ty
ty w
i it
it h
h h
h th
the online ne
e p
p p
pa pa
paym ym
ymen en
en t
t proc oc
ces es
es s
s s
4. 4.
4. Fam
m m
il il
il ia
ia ia
ri ri
ri ty
ty ty
w it
it it
h h
h th th
th e online
return n
n i
in ing process
a Ba
a ek
ek ek e
e e
t t
t a a
al., 20
20 20
06 06
06
Perceived Reputation
A customer’s perception of the e
e Internet shopping mall’s reput
t at
ion 1. G
G Good reputation
2. Eff ff
ffort to make itself regarded favora
a ably
3. Go o
ood image Jong Lee,
2000
Perceived Risk A consumer’s perceptions of the
uncertainty and adverse f
i i
1. M M
More risk compared with other wa
a y
y ys of shopping
2. .
. Low security 3
3 3. Difference between the
p purchased product and the product
t ll d li
d Dowling
St li 1994
Li, Rong. Kim, JaeJon, Park, JaeSung 278
PEOU An indicator of the cognitive effort
needed to learn and to utilize the new IT
1. Time and effort saving 2. Convenience of doing Internet
shopping 3. Brief and easily-
remembered URL 4. Effort to provide concise and
quick payment methods Gefen et al.,
2003
4. RESEARCH METHOD 4.1 Data Collection
To test our research model, a survey was conducted. In this survey, all the participants answering the questionnaire are Chinese who live in China, regardless of
whether they had had an Internet shopping experience before or not. Respondents were not informed about the objective of this survey. This survey lasted for 4 months, from
Dec. 2006 to Mar. 2007. Among the 187 respondents, 72.1 said that they frequently had Internet shopping experience with Taobao.com; 36.4 with Ebay.com.cn; 28.9
with Paipai.com; 49.2 with Dangdang.com; 11.2 with Joyo.com; 36.4 with others; and 3.2 had no Internet shopping experience at all. These are the result of multiple
selection. The demographics profiles of the 187 participants, taking part in the survey, are summarized in Table 2.
[Table 2] Sample Characteristics n=187
Measure Items
Frequency Percent
Measure Items
Frequency Percent
female 101
54 1year
NA Gender
male 86
46 1-3
years3 included
36 19.30
20 10
5.30 3-5 years
50 26.70
20-3030 not included
108 57.80
Years of Internet
experience 5 years
101 54
30-4040 not included
40 21.40
never NA
40-50 18
9.60 5 times
61 32.60
Age 50
11 5.90
5-20 times
100 53.50
employee 75
40.10 Internet
shopping experience
20 times 26
13.90 self-employed
3 1.60
once a month
52 27.80
student 78
41.70 1-10
times per month
89 47.60
professional 12
6.40 Frequency
of access to an Internet
Shopping site
10 times per month
46 24.60
housewife 7
3.70 home
83 44.40
Profession
other 12
6.40 office
57 30.50
dial-up 30
16 school
39 20.90
broadband or leased line
148 79.10
PC cafe 6
3.20 Internet
access method
others 9
4.90 Internet
access place
others 2
1
R. Gest. Tecn. Sist. Inf. RGTSIJISTEM Journal of Information Systems and Technology Management, Brazil
d 4.
E E
E ff
ff ff
or or
or t to provide concise and
quick paym m
en en
en t
t methods
4. RESEARCH ME E
E T
T THOD
4.1 Data Collect ct
ct i
ion
To t t
t e
est our re r
r search
ch ch m
m m
o o
odel, a survey was cond nd
nd uc
uc uc
te t
t d. In
n n
this sur rv
ve v
y, all the participan
n n
t ts answe
e e
ri ri
ri ng
ng ng the quest
t t
io io
io n
nn nn
ai ai
re are re
Ch Ch
in in
es es
s e
e e
wh w
w o live i
n n
n Ch
Ch Ch
ina, reg ar
ar a
dless of whethe
e e
r r
r they had ad
d h
h had
ad ad
an In n
n te
te ter
rnet shopping e
experience be fo
fo fo
re re
re or not.
t. t.
R R
R es
es espo
p p
nden n
nts t
t were
not in n
n f
form m
ed e
e a a
a bo
bo bo
ut u
the e
e o
o o
bj bje
ective of this surv rv
ey. This surve e
y y la
la ast
st st
ed f f
for or
or 4
4 4
m m
m on
o o
ths, f
f rom
Dec c
c. 2006 to to
to M
M M
ar. 20 20
200 07. Am
m on
o g the 187 re
re spondents, 72.
2.1 1 sai
i d
d d
that t t
t he
he he
y y
y fr
fr fr
eque e
nt n
n ly
ha a
a d
d d Intern
rn rn
et et
et shopp
pp pp
i in
i g experien
en ce with Taob
ob ao.com; 36
6 .4
.4 with E
Eba ba
ba y.
co o
o m.
m. m.cn
cn cn
; 28.9
9 9
w wi
w th Pai
ai aipa
pa pai.com;
m; m; 4
49.2 with Da Dang
ngdang.com m;
; 11.2 wi with
th Joyo.com; 3 6.
6. 6.4
w w
w it
it it
h h
h ot
ot o
hers s
s; a
a and 3.
. 2
2 2
h h
had n n
n o Internet shopp
in ing
g experi
ien nce at a
a ll
ll. .
Th ese are the re
su su
sult o o
f f
f mu
mu m
lt l
iple e
e se
lect t
t io
io ion.
n. n. The
e e
dem m
og og
raphics profil iles
s of the e
18 7 pa
part t
i icipants, taking
ng p
part i
i i
n th h
h e
e e
su su
rv ey,
ar ar
r e su
u umm
mm mmariz
z z
e ed in Ta
bl bl
e e 2.
2
[T [Tab
ab le
l 2] Sam
mple le C
Char ract
ct e
eris istics n=18
18 7
7
Me M
M as
s sur
u u
e Items
Freque uenc
n y
y Pe
Perc c
e ent
M Meas
as u
ure Items
Freque e
ency Pe
e ercen
en en
t
female 101
54 54
1year NA
A A
Ge G
Ge nd
n n
er male
86 86
86 46
1 1-
3 3
ye ye
ye ar
ar a
s s
3 in
in in
cl cl
cl ud
ud ud
ed ed
ed 36
36 6
19 9
.3 .3
.30 20
10 5.30
30 3-5 years
50 26
26 26
.7 7
70 20-3030 not
included 108
57.80 Ye
Ye Ye
ar ar
ars of In
n n
te te
te rn
rn rn
et et
et experience
5 years 101
54 54
54 30
30 3
-4 40
40 40
n n
n ot
ot ot
in in
in cl
cl cl
ud ud
ud ed
ed ed
40 40
40 21
21 21
.4 .4
.4 ne
ne e
ve v
ve r
r r
N N
N A
40-50 18
8 9.60
60 60
5 5
5 t t
t im
im im
es e
e 61
1 32.60
Ag g
g e
e e
5 5
5 11
5. 5
5 90
5- 5-
5- 20
times 100
53.50 employee
75 40
40 40
.1 I
I In
te rnet
shop op
op p
pi ping
ex ex
xperience 20 times
26 13.90
self-employed 3
1.60 once a
month 52
27.80 student
78 41
1 1
.7 .
. 1-10
times per month
89 47.60
professional 12
6.40 Fr
r e
equency of
f f access to
a a
an Internet Shopping
site 10 times
per month 46
24.60 housewife
7 3 70
home 83
44 40 Profession
The effects of internet shoppers’ trust on their purchasing intention in china 279
4.2 ANALYSIS AND TESTING 4.2.1 Reliability and Validity
