Exploring the dynamics of building, and losing, consumer trust in B2C eBusiness

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the dynamic nature in building and losing trust in business to consumer (B2C) eBusiness in an effort to better understand the casual nature of trust. Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses system dynamics as a lens to interpret and understand the dynamic nature of building and losing trust in B2C eBusiness and reflect the structure of the trust building systems. Findings – This paper provides a four element model and then suggests the cycle of management actions the company must consider if potential customers progressing to purchases is unsatisfactory. Research limitations/implications – This paper provides a new insight into the dynamic nature trust in a B2C eBusiness. However, the intention of this paper is not to present yet another model, but to suggest how to move from the information and knowledge those models provide into a better understanding of the problem of trust in B2C. Future work will involve the validating of this model in practical situations, the main validation metric being the extent to which managers believe that working with it improves their understanding of the dynamics of building and maintaining trust. Originality/value – This paper will provide a new insight into the development of B2C eBusiness for practitioners when considering possible strategy formulations for developing and understanding consumer trust in B2C eBusiness.