Leveraging Trust for Value Creation: Enhancing Willingness to Use in Luxury E-Commerce Websites with Website Reputation and Third-Party Assurance

• Published in: Journal of creating value Vol. 11; no. 1; pp. 73 - 86
• Main Authors: Thekkat, Anil Kumar, Anandkumar, Victor, Valacherry, Arunima Kambikkanon
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Delhi, India SAGE Publications 01.05.2025; Sage Publications Ltd
• Subjects: Electronic commerce; Luxuries; Questionnaires; Reputations; Third party; Trust; Value creation; affect-based factors; distrust; luxury e-commerce; Trust
• ISSN: 2394-9643; 2454-213X
• DOI: 10.1177/23949643251314964

This research delves into value-creation dynamics in luxury e-commerce, exploring the cultivation of trust and alleviating distrust through affect-based elements like website reputation and third-party assurances. Data from 386 student participants, collected through a simulation experiment and questionnaire, underwent structural equation modelling. The findings reveal a significant positive association between website reputation and trust, emphasizing its pivotal role in luxury shoppers’ trust formation. However, the relationship between website reputation and distrust was non-significant, indicating that a favourable reputation may enhance trust but not necessarily alleviate distrust. Third-party assurance impacts both trust and distrust, emphasizing its dual influence. Familiarity moderates the link between distrust and willingness to use a specific website. This study underscores the significance of affect-based factors in luxury e-commerce, contributing valuable insights for businesses to leverage trust-based value creation in e-commerce.