Abstract
Trust is emerging as a key element of success in the on-line environment. Although
considerable research on trust in the offline world has been performed, to date empirical study
of on-line trust has been limited. This paper examines on-line trust, specifically trust between
people and informational or transactional websites. It begins by analysing the definitions of
trust in previous offline and on-line research. The relevant dimensions of trust for an on-line
context are identified, and a definition of trust between people and informational or
transactional websites is presented. We then turn to an examination of the causes of on-line
trust. Relevant findings in the human–computer interaction literature are identified. A model
of on-line trust between users and websites is presented. The model identifies three perceptual
factors that impact on-line trust: perception of credibility, ease of use and risk. The model is
discussed in detail and suggestions for future applications of the model are presented.
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