E-commerce trust framework and hypotheses development

As mentioned above, consumers are able to develop trust and accept e- commerce due to their positive views towards sales service reliability, delivery fulfilment, payment options availability, and security. Those four elements refer to what is known as the transaction dimension, which Kim et al. (2005) define as the attributes that make online transactions trustworthy, or the concept of transaction ‘fulfilment’, which, according to Chen and Chang (2003), ‘cannot be ignored’, as it is directly related to the generation of trust in e-vendors and is of particular importance ‘when a problem occurs’ (Kim, 2005a).

Thus, in order to develop trust in e-commerce, consumers seem to expect and require guarantees, regulations, legal resources and other procedures, such as a refund/returns policy, to be in place. So, before being able to accept e-commerce, a consumer needs to develop this positive belief that ‘structural assurance’ exists with that e-vendor. That is to say, consumers need to believe that structures, in the form of guarantees and transaction regulations, are in place (McKnight et al., 2002a).

In addition to structural assurance, ‘situational normality’, defined by McKnight et al. (2002) and Koh et al. (2012) as the belief that an e-commerce transaction is likely to be successful because the situation is considered normal and favourable, seems to play a key role in e-commerce acceptance. Participants revealed that because of a negative perception of structural assurance, they do not think that online shopping can become an alternative to traditional shopping in their native culture, whereas they believe that it is an alternative to traditional shopping in their non-native culture.

Both structural assurance and situational normality are thus found to affect consumers’ intention to accept e-commerce platforms. Those two dimensions are key concepts of institution-based trust, which McKinght et al. (2002) define as a belief that

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requires ‘favourable conditions’ to be present so that the probability of achieving a successful outcome in e-commerce transactions is enhanced. Those ‘favourable conditions’ refer to the legal and technical environment that ensures the success of the transaction.

On the basis of these qualitative research findings it can be assumed that the interviewees have already gone through the initial stage of trust and are moving towards the intermediary stage. They seem to have some knowledge of and/or experience with e- commerce platforms, but do not seem to have established any form of relationship with e-vendors. Further, they seem to base their e-commerce acceptance decision on their perception of institution-based trust, in particular its two sub-constructs structural assurance, which is subject to the influence of sales service reliability, delivery fulfilment, and payment options availability and security, as well as situational normality. Based on the findings thus far, our proposed e-commerce trust-building framework is shown below (see Figure 15).

Figure 15. Trust-building framework

In order to test the research framework and statistically confirm whether any effect of the acculturation process on e-commerce trust exists, the hypotheses listed below are stated. All hypotheses are stated in a similar manner to those in the first

Transaction Dimension Sales Service Reliability Delivery Fulfilment Payment Options Availability Payment Security Structural Assurance Situational Normality Institution-Based Trust Intention to USE H1a/b H2a/b H4a/b H5a/b H6a/b H7a/b

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quantitative study, in an aim to ensure an appropriate level of comparison. All hypotheses are stated in a positive direction. In the hypotheses the word ‘consumers’ refers to Polish immigrants residing in the UK, the phase ‘native culture’ refers to Polish culture and/ or cultural context, whole the phase ‘non-native culture’ refers to British culture and/ or cultural context.

H1a: Consumers perceive that structural assurance influences their willingness to

accept e-commerce in their native culture.

H1b: Consumers perceive that structural assurance influences their willingness to

accept e-commerce in their non-native culture.

H2a: Consumers perceive e-commerce platforms to be a normal and natural shopping

environment in their native culture.

H2b: Consumers perceive e-commerce platforms to be a normal and natural shopping

environment in their non-native culture.

H3a: Consumers perceive that structural assurance influences situational normality in

their native culture.

H3b: Consumers perceive that structural assurance influences situational normality in

their non-native culture.

H4a: Consumers’ perception of sales service reliability influences structural assurance

in their native culture.

H4b: Consumers’ perception of sales service reliability influences structural assurance

in their non-native culture.

H5a: Consumers’ perception of delivery fulfilment influences structural assurance in

their native culture.

H5b: Consumers’ perception of delivery fulfilment influences structural assurance in

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H6a: Consumers’ perception of payment options availability influences structural

assurance in their native culture.

H6b: Consumers’ perception of payment options availability influences structural

assurance in their non-native native culture.

H7a: Consumers’ perception of payment security influences structural assurance in

their native culture.

H7b: Consumers’ perception of payment security in their non-native culture influences

structural assurance

5.5. Qualitative research findings- III

From the analysis of the qualitative data it seems clear that the consumers are able to overcome their ‘national characteristics’ and accept e-commerce as a shopping platform once they develop e-commerce trust and start perceiving e-commerce platforms as a normal and natural shopping environment. This developed trust and view that online platforms are a normal environment seem to be directly influenced by four factors: sales service reliability, delivery fulfilment, and availability and security of payment options. Interestingly, these elements seem not only to influence consumer e- commerce trust and perception of situational normality, but also affect consumers’ perception of ease of use in the e-commerce platform, perception of control over that system, and enjoyment derived from online shopping.

From the data analysis it appears that consumer service and the extent to which e-retailers recognise return and/or refund policies not only influences consumers’ perception of e-commerce trust but also affects consumers’ perception of ease of use of e-commerce websites, perception of control and enjoyment derived from online shopping.

Participants confirmed that the ‘problemless’ possibility to return a product and/or get a refund affects their perception of how easy it is to use online shops. Violetta, for example, said that overall she considers online shopping to be easy in her native culture, but only if she is satisfied with the order; when ‘there is something wrong with it’, she confessed that ‘it is more difficult’ than in her non-native culture. Further, she associates those difficulties of online shopping in Polish culture and/or

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cultural context with the inability to return and/or get a refund for the product, which is not the case in the UK. This is confirmed by Pawel.

Violetta: It is easy but it is more difficult if there is something wrong with the product. It is difficult if there is something wrong with it. If it does not meet your expectations, if it is not as in the description, it is more difficult to return it. Here (in non-native culture) it is not a problem.

Pawel: (…) it seems to me that here (in non-native culture) is easier, companies are more solid, and it is easier, it seems they have more solid structure that you can easier return the product. (…) In England it is easier.

Further, perceived problems with product refund and/or return also affect consumers’ perception of control over the e-commerce system in their native culture, as directly stated by Joanna N. and other interviewees.

Joanna N: You may have problems with refund. You think more whether to buy it or not. This is also related to control over shopping. Here (in non-native culture) you can buy something without thinking.

Szczepan: (…). We do not have control in Poland. There is no chance for that. There is a big problem to get money back as a refund or guarantee.

Finally, when participants were asked whether problems related to product return and/or refund affected their satisfaction with online shopping they said:

Weronika: Of course it does. It is a base of it.

Piotr B: Of course. If you order a product and you know that you can return it when something is wrong and no one will shout at you that is very good.

Ewelina: (…) here (in non-native culture) I was satisfied with the option of returning items you bought, I recommend it to friends.

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The difference in terms of delivery service reliability seems to influence not only consumers’ e-commerce trust but also their perception of ease of use and control over the e-commerce system, as well as their overall pleasure in online shopping, which seems to be confirmed by Krzysztof’s sarcastic comment.

Krzysztof: I assume they (Poles) feel greater satisfaction than English do. Four times greater. It arrived! It is not a brick, oh my God this is a parcel! Satisfaction is amazing. I do not feel any satisfaction when I did it 40 times or more here (in non-native culture). This is normal (…) I can say that in terms of delivery in Poland we are happy if it is delivered two days after the expected delivery date. Here (in non-native culture) you are annoyed if it is delayed.

Finally, the difference in terms of perceived transaction security and availability of payment options also affects consumers’ perception of ease of use and control over the system, as well as their enjoyment of online shopping, which is confirmed by the quotes below.

Weronica: (…) I think it is more difficult than it is here (in non-native culture). It is the matter of payment system. Here (in non-native culture) you can pay with card, you put your sort code and it is paid. In Poland you have to pay upon arrival. You have to go to the post office and send the confirmation of payment. The payment system does not work well.

Basia: I do not think that it (payment upon delivery) is convenient (in native culture), because you have to have cash with you. I changed to the non-cash payments, I do not carry cash with me, or if I do it is not enough to pay for the parcel. So basically it means that I would have to have money at home or go to the bank to make the transfer. Violetta:. Here (in non-native culture) it is a matter of one click. You put card details and that is it. In Poland it is a bit more complicated.

Piotr K: In Poland we have credit cards but it is not as popular or accepted. There is no such system as PayPal. So to pay for the product you need to make a bank transfer, it

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takes 2-3 day of waiting. So it is more time-consuming. And later, in case of any complications, the cancellation of the transaction is long and tiresome.

Pawel: For me it (payment by bank transfer) is inconvenient. I mean, it is a problem. Because it is not true that something is not possible but it is inconvenient.

5.5.1. Moderating effect of facilitating factors; framework and hypothesis