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Folia Oeconomica Stetinensia

Volume 18 (2018) Issue 2
DOI: 10.2478/foli-2018-0019

CONSUMER TRUST IN E-COMMERCE: THE CASE OF POLAND

Anna Rybak, Ph.D.

Czestochowa University of Technology

Faculty of Management
Institute of Enterprise Management
J.H. Dąbrowskiego 69; 42-201 Częstochowa
e-mail: [email protected]
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3981-0273
Received 23 March 2018, Accepted 10 October 2018

Abstract

The increasing use of the Internet as a commercial sales channel arouses interest in understanding key
issues in building customer relationships. Confidence is considered the key to the success of building these
relationships. Considering the differences between online and offline sales, the antecedents and consequences
of trust deserve a reconsideration. This research identifies satisfaction and knowledge as key factors related
to trust in the context of online sales. The findings from this study suggest that people buy online more often
if they see a higher level of trust in e-commerce and have more experience in using the web. Customer
satisfaction can be influenced by the level of trust as well as the user’s experience and knowledge about
the distribution channel as well as the e-seller. It seems that people with a higher level of satisfaction with
shopping become loyal customers and more often participate in e-commerce. Positive experience and the
ability to monitor purchases favors the development of the e-commerce market in Poland. These results
complement earlier arrangements for e-commerce and shed light on how to establish a trust relationship on
the World Wide Web.

Keywords: consumer trust, trustworthiness, trust of the company, e-commerce

JEL classification: A13, D91

60 Anna Rybak

Introduction

Consumer trust constitutes a significant factor determining decisions about the purchase
of a given product and selecting a service provider. Digital space has broadened the markets
of trade and marketing communication of various economic entities, but it has also introduced
divisions, barriers, and exclusions (for more, see: Bassanini, Scarpetta, 2002; Okoli, Mbarika,
McCoy, 2010; Pohjola, 2003; Parente, Prescott, 1994; Zeira, 1998). As a result of the
information and communication technology (ICT) development, consumer trust has grown in its
importance. If we draw our attention to the asymmetry in customer-vendor relations pertaining,
among others, to the issues of finances, technology, and information, the development of the
Internet can be thought to reduce the information advantage in these relations. Thanks to the
information exchange among social communities relating to a given entity, it is possible to
avoid disappointment. Common knowledge concerning a given producer allows a customer to
take a purchase decision and, at the same time, guarantees a steady income to a reliable entity.
A crucial condition to meet is the fulfillment of a promise made by the producer with respect to
the product or service on offer.
Consumer trust is a multiaspectual concept that has become a focus of interest of numerous
researchers from various scientific disciplines, among others, economics, sociology, political
science, and social culture. The present article limits its research scope with regard to consumer
trust to consumers’ behaviors on the e-commerce market. The aim of the article is to probe
into the factors impacting on consumer trust in online shopping. Taking account of trust and
online shopping intentions, it seems legitimate to select young consumers for the research target
group. A deeper insight into the factors determining consumer trust will allow online markets to
develop faster as well as to safeguard mutual interests of their participants.

1. Consumer trust – an overview of literature

The concept of trust is crucial because it affects a number of factors essential to online
transactions, including security and privacy. Moreover, although e-commerce brings benefits
to both vendors and customers, it also has limitations, such as the physical separation between
buyers and sellers, and between buyers and merchandise. In order to reduce the barriers, vendors
must develop a trustworthy relationship to foster customer loyalty (Teo, Liu, 2007).
European Commission, by monitoring the consumer goods and services markets, pays
attention to trust as a determinant of economic development. As a part of its research on
consumer markets, it draws up a common economic policy. Its report clarifies that:
 Consumer Trust in e-Commerce: The Case of Poland 61

Consumers’ propensity to engage in (cross-border) online transactions may be facilitated or hampered

by a number of fac­tors, including perceived benefits and risks of e-commerce, con­fidence in online
transactions, their awareness of key consumer rights online and the reliability of online comparison
tools. Convenience in terms of time, lower prices and greater choice are the main reasons for
shopping online. Consumers feel consid­erably more confident buying online in their own country
(61%) than in other EU countries (38%). However, among consumers who have made at least one
cross-border online purchase, the confidence to buy from online sellers in other EU countries is more
than double that of those who have never done so. Slightly over half of the respondents (56%) in
the EU knew that they have the right to return a new electronic product ordered by post, phone or
the Internet four days after its delivery, without giving any reason. Consumers’ awareness of their
right to a cooling-off period when purchasing digital content appears even lower, with a mere 9% of
online consumers correctly identifying the latest stage up to which they have the right to withdraw
from such purchase and get their money back. A recent in-depth study by the Commission found that
two thirds of comparison tool users (65%) had experienced at least one problem when using such
tools (e.g. unavailability of the product on the seller’s website or incorrect prices). Less than half of
the comparison tools tested disclosed details of their relationship with suppliers or described their
business model, and only a third provided information on how to file a complaint. As a follow-up, the
Commission will work further with the comparison tool operators to ensure they provide transparent
and reliable information to consumers. Data protec­tion, payment security and consumer rights are
key concerns in domestic e-commerce. Concerns about cross-border e-commerce are linked to
delivery, redress and consumer rights. Concerns regarding, in particular domestic, e-commerce are
overall higher in EU-13 than in EU-15 (European Commission, 2015).

Consumer trust in e-commerce stems, among others, from cultural differences. It is

thought so by T.S.H. Teo and J. Liu (2007) as well as by H. Hallikainen and T. Laukkanen
(2018), who conducted research on trust in ICT across various cultural circles. The conclusions
drawn from the research are that national culture and trust are interrelated. It was discerned that
culture impacts on the attitude of the customer and his/her propensity to trust as well as on the
perception of the vendor, which can create a barrier to the international and global development
of markets. The cultural context in research on trust confirmed the multiaspectual nature of
this concept. The trust of the supplier and the trust of the customer should be treated as two
autonomous research subjects. Teo and Liu (2007) directed our attention to the fact that trust is
a consequence of different perceptions of risk related to online transactions. Accordingly, trust
rests on cultural foundations related to the propensity to take or avoid risk. Hallikainen and
Laukkanen (2018) examined trust taking into consideration the model proposed by Hofstede
(2011). The results of their research confirm that cultural differences affect trust and the
activities undertaken on the online market. What is interesting is that the differences are not that
straightforward. Consumers’ collectivist propensity affects negatively their purchase activity
62 Anna Rybak

on digital markets, yet masculinity (from the perspective of culture) does not prevent one from
trusting Internet stores.
Devising their trust model of Portuguese consumers concerning e-commerce markets,
T. Oliveira, M. Alhinho, P. Rita, and G. Dhillon (2017) noticed that consumer trust should
be examined with respect to the entrepreneur, the digital environment, as well as interaction
(experience of previous transactions).
Isolating the particular elements making up the system of online shopping allowed them to
discover relations between their constituents and building up trust in transactions.

2. Polish market of e-commerce

According to the data by Gemius (2017), 79% of Polish citizens aged 7‒79 use the Internet,
and the people shopping online make up 54% of all Internet users. Statistically speaking, the
biggest group of people using the Internet to do shopping are people aged 15‒49 (87%), those
with secondary education (47%), those living in the city (74%), as well as the people whose
financial situation is good (51%). The biggest part of Poles (53%) does shopping by means of
domestic websites; in contrast, only 16% of Internet users consciously opt for foreign ones.
The most recognizable e-services are Allegro (71%), OLX (32%), and Zalando (13%). Of all
foreign ones, Aliexpress is spontaneously recognized by 26% of the Internet users who did
shopping online on foreign e-services in the period of the last six months. The respondents
acknowledged that the reasons for doing shopping online were lower prices in e-shops (58%)
than in traditional ones, as well as low delivery costs (62%). The factors driving customers
away from online shopping are long delivery time (38%), high delivery costs (37%), as well as
annoying Internet advertising popping up after watching a certain product (36%). The research
did not take into consideration the reasons for which Internet users abstain from doing shopping
online. Paying particular attention to consumer trust as a factor determining doing shopping
in digital space, the present article attempts to analyze the reasons affecting consumer trust in
e-commerce in Poland.

3. Research methodology

The research was conducted on a group of seven young consumers who responded to
a questionnaire on an e-learning platform. Collecting the data by means of the Internet allowed
to identify the computer users who do shopping online. The questionnaire survey was used
 Consumer Trust in e-Commerce: The Case of Poland 63

to select relevant factors and examine the power of their impact on building up trust in the
e-commerce market. What was taken into consideration was annual expenditures, the kind
of shopping, as well as the factors determining doing shopping online. A five-point semantic
scale was used to measure the determinants of e-shopping, and they were treated as reflexive
variables. Basing on relevant literature and cognitive theory, it was possible to mark a path of
consumer trust (Figure 1).

Trust of ICT
Knowledge
Costumer trust

Trust Company
Experience

Figure 1. Path of building up consumer trust

Source: author’s own elaboration based on literature.

STATISTICA software was used for the statistical analysis. Statistical power – assuming
a given sample size – is the most frequently measured value, and conversely, with the statistical
power assumed to be on a sufficiently high level, one can determine a minimum sample size.
Statistical power is understood as the probability of not rejecting the alternative hypothesis
when it is true. In other words, it is the probability of rejecting the null hypothesis under the
assumption that the hypothesis is false. In statistical literature, the recommended power of a test
is a value greater or equal to 0.8 (Cohen, 1965). Hypothesis H0 means that a 7-element sample
is sufficient to formulate general statements.
H0: δd = 0.
H1: δd ≠ 0.
The process of testing the null hypothesis H0 consists in determining the probability
(p-value) of yielding the value δd under the assumption that the actual value equals zero.
If a p-value – calculated on the basis of a seven-element sample – is lower than the assumed
significance level of α = 0.05, it is presumed that a very improbable event occurred, and that it
is necessary to reject the hypothesis H0, and accept H1 as the true one. However, if p-value is
greater than α, one can only state that rejecting the hypothesis H0 is unfounded. Using the Power
Test module of STATISTICA, the following values of parameters were entered: sample size
N = 25, tolerable error δd = 2, significance level α = 0.05, empirical standard deviation S = 10,
and the following form of hypothesis H0 δd = 0, all of which enabled to calculate the power test
of the research.
64 Anna Rybak

Table 1. Power analysis results

Power, test t; H0: µ = µ0
Value
Average Null Hypothesis (µ0) 0.00
Average in the Population (µ) 2.00
Standard Error of the Proportion (σ) 10.00
Standardized effect (Es) 0.20
Sample Size (N) 25.00
Type I error rate (α) 0.05
Critical Value t 2.06
Power 0.16
Source: author’s own elaboration.

It is easily discernible that the calculated power 0.16 for a 7-element sample has a very low
effectiveness of rejecting results encumbered with the error greater than the assumed value of 2.
In order to examine the possibility of increasing the power of a test, one can use the software to
generate charts showing the relations between the power of a test and the number of N responses
(Figure 2).

Test on One Proportion, (H0: µ = µ0)

Power vs. N (Es = 0.2, α = 0.05)
0.6

0.5

0.4
Power

0.3

0.2

0.1

0,0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110
Simple size (N)

Figure 2. Statistical power as dependent on the sample size

Source: author’s own elaboration.
 Consumer Trust in e-Commerce: The Case of Poland 65

As Figure 2 shows, it is possible to discern that the number of responses influences

the significance level. If we assume that the significance level should be ≥0.8, the size of the
sample should equal 150 (if we want to achieve statistical significance). Because this value is
increasingly objectionable, and because the present research is qualitative in nature, N = 25 can
be assumed to be sufficient with the sample size on the level of 0.13. Accepting E. Aranowska
and J. Rytel’s (2000) assumptions, further calculations were made assuming the significance
level on α = 0.065.

4. Trust measurement results

The correlation matrix (Table 2) between particular determinants will allow to select
dependent variables and conduct a further factor analysis for the chosen indices.
Accumulated correlation coefficient was used when creating the matrix. Table 2 clarifies
that at the significance level p ≤ 0.065 there is a considerable correlation between the following:
1. Personal experience with the vendor as a factor in choosing the same vendor; the
payment as well as satisfaction with the fulfillment of the order (0.75) – the elements of
knowledge and experience of e-customer.
2. Personal experience with the vendor as a factor in choosing the same vendor and
satisfaction with the purchase (0.76) – experience.
3. Fast delivery and satisfaction with the purchase (0.80) – knowledge and experience.
4. Experience of making a complaint (vendor’s reaction) and an easy return of goods
(0.79) – experience.
5. Customer-vendor relationship stability, a fast delivery, and a possibility of monitoring
the product delivery from the very moment of the registration of the purchase (0.9) –
knowledge and experience.
6. Satisfaction with the purchase and customer-vendor relationship stability (0.76) –
experience.
The data have a qualitative character thus the impact of particular variables can make
interpretation difficult. The higher the correlation coefficient, the more closely the data are
correlated. The correlation matrix was used for further examination of consumer trust.
 66
Table 2. Correlation matrix

Average
Standard Error
Availibility of the person pro-
viding information about the
products or services offered
by an e-commerce company
The payment and fulfilment
of the order was satisfying
to previous customers
One’s own experience with
the vendor as an element
of placing a repeat order
Comparability of prices
interpreted as a relative
attractiveness, safety,
and economy
Fast delivery and a possibility
of monitoring the product de-
livery from the moment of the
registration of the purchase
Easy return of goods failing
to meet a customer’s expecta-
tions
Experience of making a com-
plaint on the Internet
‒ the behavior of the vendor
Satisfaction with the purchase
Stability in the customer-
vendor relationship contributes
to doing shopping online

Availability of the person providing

information about the products or
3.00 1.1547 1 –0.27 –0.28 0.54 – 0.3852 –0.5916 –0.4472 –0.1909 0.405
services offered by an e-commerce
company
The payment and fulfilment of the
order was satisfying to previous 0.5345 0.5345 –0.27 1 0.75 0.1667 – 0.3492 0.5477 0.483 0.4714 0.4583
customers
One’s own experience with the vendor
4.5714 0.5345 –0.28 0.75 1 0.4167 –0.4657 0.4108 –0.00 0.766 0.7083
as an element of placing a repeat order
Anna Rybak

Comparability of prices interpreted as

a relative attractiveness, safety, and 4.5714 0.5346 0.54 0.1667 0.4167 1 –0.4658 –0.5477 –0.7246 0.3536 0.7084
economy
Fast delivery and a possibility of
monitoring the product delivery from
18.5714 36.3495 – 0.3852 – 0.3492 –0.4658 –0.4658 1 –0.196 –0.0035 –0.7469 –0.8817
the moment of the registration of the
purchase
Easy return of goods failing to meet
3.4286 0.9759 –0.5916 0.5477 0.4108 –0.5477 –0.196 1 0.7937 0.4841 0.9129
a customer’s expectations
Experience of making a complaint
on the Internet ‒ the behavior of the 3.00 1.291 –0.4472 0.483 –0.00 –0.7246 –0.0035 0.7937 1 0.00 –0.2415
vendor
Satisfaction with the purchase. 4.2857 0.7559 –0.1909 0.4714 0.766 0.3536 –0.7469 0.4841 0.00 1 0.766
Stability in the customer-vendor rela-
tionship contributes to doing 4.1429 1.069 0.405 0.4583 0.7083 0.7084 –0.8817 0.9129 –0.2415 0.766 1
shopping online
Source: author’s own elaboration.
 Consumer Trust in e-Commerce: The Case of Poland 67

5. Purchase satisfaction as an e-customer’s experience impacting on their trust

All the research variables have the nature of latent variables. By applying the correlation
matrix, it is possible to examine selected variables and determine their impact on consumer trust.
Purchase satisfaction is closely correlated with three variables; accordingly, it seems legitimate
to examine this factor in relation to the amount of online shopping expenditures (Figure 3).
For the purposes of this research, the Author applied “Generalized Linear Models” – one-way
analysis of variance.

Least Squares Means: F(1, 5) = 1.0504, p = 0.35241

7.5

7.0

6.5

6.0
Satisfaction with the purchase

5.5

5.0

4.5

4.0

3.5

3.0

2.5
<1000 1000–2000
An annual amount of money spent in e-shops in PLN
(excluding the settlement of bills)

Figure 3. The impact of purchase satisfaction on the amount of expenditures.

Source: author’s own elaboration.

Purchase satisfaction is closely correlated with the amount of expenditures (with higher
amounts of expenditures contributing to greater confidence intervals), which can mean that
together with the amount of expenditures other factors than satisfaction start to impact on the
purchase decision to a larger extent. However, the average impact is greater, which means that
the determinant of satisfaction influences the amount of online shopping expenditures more
considerably.
68 Anna Rybak

Least Squares Means: F(2, 4) = 1.4286, p = 0.34028

7.0

6.5

6.0

5.5
Satisfaction with the purchase

5.0

4.5

4.0

3.5

3.0

2.5

2.0

1.5
Everything as part of your needs Cosmetics
Clothes and shoes
What do you often buy?

Figure 4. Purchase satisfaction and the kind of purchase

Source: author’s own elaboration.

Figure 4 presents purchase satisfaction as dependent on the kind of purchase. The greatest
confidence interval occurs with the purchase of cosmetics. Satisfaction with e-shopping
is of lesser importance if the customer knows the brand that they opt for. If one takes into
consideration a fact that consumers have trust in the brand of a product (cosmetic), a decision to
choose a specific distribution channel is dependent on other factors. Accordingly, a considerable
confidence interval may be related to building up trust in a distribution channel, and in the case
of e-market in the credibility, reliability, and honesty of the e-commerce vendor. If customers
buy clothes and shoes, their satisfaction is significant on the level of 5 points. It seems legitimate
to assert that together with higher trust in a certain company (brand), the importance of the
distribution channel is smaller or other factors decide about it (e.g. lower prices or discounts).

6. Knowledge about e-commerce vendors shared among customers and consumer trust

In the present survey, the Author also took into consideration the experience of previous
e-customers and its influence on purchase decisions. Knowledge about e-commerce vendors and
sharing it has a positive influence on building up trust in a company as well as on the distribution
 Consumer Trust in e-Commerce: The Case of Poland 69

channel. Figure 5 illustrates the correlation between the satisfaction of other customers of
a given e-commerce vendor and the amount of expenditures.

Least Squares Means: F(1, 5) = 1.4286, p = 0.28559

7.0

6.5
The payment and fulfilment of the order was satisfying

6.0
to previous customers

5.5

5.0

4.5

4.0

3.5

3.0
<1000 1000–2000
An annual amount of money spent in e-shops in PLN
(excluding the settlement of bills)

Figure 5. The payment and fulfillment of the order were satisfying to previous e-customers and
the amount of expenditures
Source: author’s own elaboration.

The amount of expenditures is also related to the satisfaction of other e-customers. Also
in this case, the confidence interval distribution is greater if the amount of expenditures is
higher and the purchase satisfaction increases (by 0.6 point) together with higher expenditures.
The influence of other customers’ experience on the amount of expenditures is on the same level
as one’s own experience (5 points), yet the confidence interval is lower (from 3.7 to 6.4). This
means that the respondents were more unanimous as to the impact of other people’s experience
on their own decisions.
E-customers’ experience and satisfaction with shopping are an important determinant if
the purchase concerns clothes, shoes, and other goods (on the level of 4.5 point). Nevertheless,
a decision to buy cosmetics online was influenced to a lesser degree by other customers’
experience, even if respondents were not unanimous (the greatest confidence interval).
70 Anna Rybak

Least Squares Means: F(2, 4) = 0.28571, p = 0.76562

6.5

6.0
The payment and fulfilment of the order was satisfying

5.5

5.0
to previous customers

4.5

4.0

3.5

3.0

2.5

2.0

1.5
Everything as part of your needs Cosmetics
Clothes and shoes
What do you often buy?

Figure 6. The payment and fulfillment of order was satisfying for previous customers and the
kind of purchase
Source: author’s own elaboration.

Conclusions

The use of latent variable indices in the present research on consumer trust in online
shopping (with knowledge and experience constituting consumers’ attributes) has led to selecting
factors which impact on the kind of purchase and the amount of expenditures. If satisfaction
with the purchase is closely correlated with customers’ loyalty (their own experience is a reason
for choosing the same vendor again and the customer-vendor relationship stability) and with
knowledge (a possibility of monitoring orders), it is important to pay attention to them when
building up consumers’ trust in e-commerce. The present work is experimental in character and
presents a selection of determinants which affect consumers’ trust among young Polish Internet
users who do shopping online. A relatively small sample size does not allow the author to draw
some more general conclusions. Future research can attempt to increase the sample size and
diversify the age groups. In addition, it would be advisable to pay a closer attention to consumer
trust in selling services by means of e-commerce.
 Consumer Trust in e-Commerce: The Case of Poland 71

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