The effect of consumer confusion on decision postponement in online tourism purchases: The moderating role of online trust

Purpose: Rapid digitalisation and the widespread use of online platforms have made information more accessible; however, the abundance of alternatives and information overload have also made online decision-making more complex.This study examines the effect of consumer confusion on decision postponement in online tourism purchasing and investigates the moderating role of online trust in this relationship.Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from 417 Generation Z individuals residing in Nevşehir, Türkiye, using convenience sampling.The measurement model was validated using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and the hypotheses were tested using moderation analysis via the PROCESS Macro (Model 1). Results:The results indicate that consumer confusion has a significant positive effect on decision postponement (β = .736,p < .001).Moreover, online trust significantly moderates this relationship (β = -.146,p < .001),such that the positive effect of consumer confusion on decision postponement weakens as online trust increases.The model explains 53.7% of the variance in decision postponement (R² = .537).Discussion: These findings suggest that trust functions as a key mechanism that mitigates the negative consequences of cognitive overload in digital tourism contexts, even among a digitally native generation.The results contribute to the literature on consumer behaviour in digital tourism contexts and provide practical implications for tourism businesses seeking to reduce decision delays by fostering online trust.