Investigating Trust Factors in Peer-to-Peer E-commerce: a Design Science Study

Abstract

Trust is a vital actor in a healthy relationship between any parties, both on and offline. In E-commerce, specifically Peer-to-Peer (P2P) platforms, the presence of trust factors among peers is what defines the success or failure of the platform. While there is a sizable amount of studies on trust, the E-commerce P2P domain is relatively untouched. In order to find the most significant and relevant trust factors that can improve trust among peers in a P2P platform, this paper will explore the definitions of trust among online P2P users, specifically private individuals who engage with each other to buy or sell services or products. Furthermore, the paper will evaluate its findings, from both literature and current users of online P2P services, to show the feasibility of implementing the found trust factors.