The relationship between eWoM, security, quality of information and purchase behaviour at B2C e-commerce website: the moderating role of E-trustmarks

Purpose This study aims to investigate the moderating role of e-trustmarks in the relationship between electronic word of mouth (eWoM), security, quality of information, and purchase behaviour of consumers on B2C e-commerce websites. The research was conducted in the context of emerging countries. Design/methodology/approach The research utilised partial least squares path modelling (PLS-SEM) to assess the model and its hypothesised relationships, drawing on data from a survey of 1993 consumers engaged in e-commerce websites with e-trustmarks. The study incorporated SOR theory, asymmetric information theory, and signalling theory. Findings E-trustmarks moderate the positive impact of eWoM, security, and quality of information on online trust. A moderating effect of e-trustmarks was also found, such that the positive association between purchase intention and purchase behaviour was stronger when e-trustmarks were higher. Research limitations/implications This study was conducted solely in Vietnam and focused only on a set of input variables without addressing specific industries or market segments. The research did not use demographic data, such as the age and income of the surveyors, to identify variations in the impact of variables on different target groups, indicating potential areas for future research. Practical implications Emerging countries should implement targeted policies regarding e-trustmarks and encourage businesses to adopt them to reduce information asymmetry in the online environment. Originality/value This study contributes to asymmetric theory and signalling theory by offering critical insights into how online businesses can make use of influence mechanisms in the model to ease asymmetric information. Integrating signalling theory and moderating e-trustmarks into the SOR model advances research on consumer behaviour in emerging countries’ e-commerce markets with asymmetric information.