The Role of Trust Signals in E-Commerce: Assessing Their Influence on User Confidence and Purchase Intent

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of trust signals—specifically customer reviews, security badges, and payment icons—on user confidence and purchase intent in e-commerce environments. The research aims to understand how these trust signals influence consumer behavior, with a particular focus on the moderating role of demographic factors such as gender. A survey was conducted with online shoppers to gather data on their perceptions of these trust signals and their effect on purchase decisions. The findings indicate that all three trust signals significantly enhance user confidence and purchase intent, with customer reviews and ratings having the most substantial effect. Additionally, gender was found to moderate the relationship between customer reviews and user confidence, as well as between security badges and user confidence, while it did not have a significant impact on the relationship with payment icons. These results offer valuable insights for e-commerce platforms looking to optimize user trust and improve conversion rates. Practical recommendations are provided for e-commerce practitioners on how to strategically use trust signals to foster consumer trust and drive sales.