The moderating effect of perceived risk on consumer behavior in the sharing economy: A perspective from a developing country

In the present study, we integrate Social Exchange Theory and Perceived Risk Theory to examine consumer behavior in the sharing economy. A quantitative approach was employed to survey 320 individuals who had used ride-sharing services in Mexico. Structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was utilized to assess the proposed relationships. The objective of this study is to explore the influence of economic benefits, trust, sense of community, and sustainability on the usage behavior of sharing economy platforms, with a specific focus on ride-sharing services. The findings of this study suggest that economic benefits and trust have a significant impact on consumer behavior, while sense of community and sustainability show no significant impact. Furthermore, we found that perceived risk moderates the effects of economic benefits and sense of community on usage behavior, highlighting their role in influencing consumer behavior motivators. It is important to note that the study's findings are constrained to the specific context of ride-sharing services in Mexico. Future research could extend the analysis to other sectors of the sharing economy or compare results across countries. This study represents a significant contribution to the literature by offering insights into the factors driving the adoption of sharing economy services in a developing economy.