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Article

Abstract

This paper investigates the evolution in variables that lead customers to trust an online shop or not. On the basis of samples taken in 2004 and in 2008 in Seoul (South Korea), it is shown that website visitors tend to trust online shops of generally well known companies. Certification marks granted by trusted third parties to online shops do not seem to induce trust, although a small positive trend seems noticeable. Offering accurate, easy to find product information on the website induced trust in 2004, but did no longer do so in 2008. All in all, the 2004 South Korean customer seemed to do business on the Internet like in the real world. However, by 2008 he seemed to be slowly moving away from that traditional way of buying things on the Internet to an Internet-specific way where other elements are considered to decide whether an online shop can be trusted.

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