The importance of the salesperson in establishing a trusting relationship between the customer and the company has been documented in the marketing literature. Interacting with a salesperson with expertise and one who is likeable and helpful can lead a customer to trust the company itself (Doney & Cannon, 1997). Online, however, customers are unable to interact with a salesperson. Instead, they interact with the Web site. In many ways, the Web site can act as a proxy for the salesperson. The experience of the customer with the Web site may also influence the level of trust by the customer towards the company. Perceiving the Web site as appealing, likeable and helpful can have a similar impact on trust beliefs as when those perceptions are about a salesperson.
One explanation for this proposition is that a well-designed Web site that is useful, user friendly, and pleasant to use is also an indicator of the company’s capabilities. Customer trust in a company can increase when the customer believes that the company has the capabilities and resources to fulfill its promises (Chow & Holden, 1997). In addition, we know that customer trust in an online company is partly determined by trust in its control mechanisms, the main one of which is its Web site, i.e., the tool it uses to enable and secure transactions with its customers (Tan & Thoen, 2000-2001).
More specifically, the usability of a Web site can increase customer trust in the company. The definition of usability of a Web site is centered around the design elements of a Web site and how they affect the use of the site by users (Palmer, 2002). A Web site with high usability will feature easy navigation, appropriate search mechanisms, relevant content, and a consistent interface (Radosevich, 1997; Spool, 1997; Palmer, 2002; Agarwal & Venkatesh, 2002). In general, Web users who perceive a Web site as easy to use and feel in control of their actions while they use it will rate the usability of the Web site as high. In turn, a Web site with high usability will also encourage online customers to trust the company itself (Koufaris & Hampton-Sosa, 2003b).
Especially important is the customer’s perception regarding the security control of the Web site (Koufaris & Hampton-Sosa, 2003a). Online customers are usually concerned about the security of their transactions on the Web site and they expect that an online company’s Web site will secure the exchange of financial information with them (Ranganathan & Ganapathy, 2002). However, these expectations are not always met and fears over stolen credit card numbers, misused private information, and privacy invasions have been a leading reason for many Web users deciding not to buy online (Hoffman et al., 1999). There are various methods for Web sites to indicate that transactions on their Web site are secure, such as seals from trusted third parties (Palmer et al., 2000; Van Den Berg & Van Lieshout, 2001) and online reputation systems (Resnick et al., 2000).
The general appeal of the Web site can also contribute to a climate of trust between the online customer and the company. In general, the experience of the customer after interacting with the site can have an impact on trust. If customers enjoy their visit and they find the Web site useful, they are more likely to find the site appealing. An appealing Web site is one that is fun and interesting to use but at the same time enhances the online customer’s shopping productivity. Online customers who find a Web site appealing are more likely to trust the company itself, similar to the way off-line customers trust a company when they find its salesperson likeable (Koufaris & Hampton-Sosa, 2003b).