Trust in Social Commerce: Challenges and Opportunities for Building Consumer Confidence and Shaping Purchase Intention

This narrative review examines the essential role of trust in shaping consumer purchase intentions within social commerce, particularly through mechanisms such as peer-generated content, platform security, and influencer marketing. It explores how cognitive and emotional trust interact within the consumer decision-making process and identifies practical and theoretical implications for trust-building strategies in social commerce. A comprehensive review of the literature on trust in social commerce was conducted to assess the impact of cognitive and emotional trust, and to investigate moderating and mediating factors including perceived risk, social support, and cultural differences. The review also highlights gaps in existing studies, providing recommendations for future research. The findings reveal that trust mitigates perceived risks and enhances consumer engagement, with cognitive trust supporting rational evaluations and emotional trust fostered through social interactions. Peer-generated content, secure platforms, and authentic influencer endorsements are identified as critical trust-building mechanisms, though concerns over content authenticity remain significant. Cultural and demographic differences act as important moderators, highlighting the need for region-specific trust strategies within social commerce. This review contributes to a differentiated understanding of trust in social commerce by examining the distinct roles of cognitive and emotional trust. It extends existing theoretical frameworks by incorporating elements such as social presence and cultural context, advancing the study of trust and providing actionable insights for trust management in diverse social commerce environments.