The impact of humorous apology expression on consumer forgiveness and trust rebuilding after trust violations

In today’s competitive market, trust between brands and consumers is vital but fragile. Trust breaches, such as product issues or mismanagement, can lead to consumer disappointment and harm brand reputation, especially in e-commerce settings. While extensive research addresses trust repair, few studies examine the impact of self-deprecating humor in apologies, particularly its role in fostering consumer forgiveness and rebuilding trust. This study addresses this gap, integrating humor theory with trust repair mechanisms. Findings provide insights for brands in crisis communication, highlighting self-deprecating humor as a strategy to mitigate crises and rebuild trust.