Action Research Paper and Power point (Both)

Building Trust Through E-Commerce Websites

Bose Mithra Nalla

IST 8101

Wilmington University

Information elements build a great relationship with the customers if they are concerned about building the trust from the customers. It is observed that making the websites easy to access allows the customers to trust the website and increase in the number of customers that access the data. Information should also be accessed easily so that they can get their work done and build the required trust with the customers in process of creating a relationship (Bakar & Shahibi, 2010). If this information is linked to the daily needs and provide the information about the updates in the facilities can also be helpful in this process. All the transactions performed in this website must be genuine and secure so that no fraud transactions can happen in the website (Benlian & Hess, 2011). Information flow in the website must be clear and it should be in a way that it can be understandable for any type of user to make the people trust the website to access it and purchase the products (Landrum, Prybutok, Strutton, & Zhang, 2008). All the products must be provided with sufficient information and the correct information about the description of products.

Elements of security in terms of information can affect positively in building the trust from customers. The more secure terms, the high trust will be established with the customers. There must be a two-way communication channel established between the customer and the merchant to discuss about the products and the orders they have placed (Landrum, Prybutok, Strutton, & Zhang, 2008). A clear privacy policy must be made to identify all the requirements of the users and provide them with the privacy factors that have high concern. Besides authentication, Password must not be saved by the company to provide maximum personalization allowed for a user. There are certain information elements like the usage statistics, areas of interest, privacy policies which are the key factors to establish trust (Saf’yanov, Yanin, & Tereshchenko, 2012). Animation must be minimum to the possible extent; navigation buttons must be comfortable and consistent so that the navigation within the website should be easy and flexible to all the users.

E-commerce always relies of safety and security of the information that belongs to the user. If they are maintained accordingly and assured with these key elements, they can be provided with the security and flexibility (Zheng & Jin, 2016). All the elements of security can be considered to provide with the importance of security policies in building the trust with customers. The relation between the customer and website should be transparent to make the transactions genuine and secure. It should rank in the top when considering the accessibility to information. Information should be accurate and to provide clear return policy as well as security policy (Wang & Emurian, 2004). Two-way communication should also be efficient and the elements should include few graphics making the information will be available to the most required aspects.

Accessibility of information is so important so that it can be emphasized to display the products and provide information that is completely accurate (Patnayakuni & Seth, 2006). Accessibility can be made easier to analyze the data and statistics of usage. Brand reputation also plays a crucial role in securing the operations. List of security elements that include communication channel also plays a crucial role in establishing security with the customers (Patnayakuni & Seth, 2006). A clear security policy must be established that illustrates the transparency of the operations to all its employees. Authentication should be secured enough so that the customers can build trust and feel secure while performing the transactions. All these transactions can be exclusive and secure enough so that the transactions performed will be transparent and clear.

A good website helps the customer to stay long and access more if he spends more time. This can be achieved only when the website is flexible completely and convenient to access the information. The reason to make it consistent is by providing the navigational buttons comfortable and include all the security elements of the organization (Landrum, Prybutok, Strutton, & Zhang, 2008). This should be simple avoiding all the technical jargons and including the simple features that makes to feel less and access the internet. Website should provide as much as information possible to make the customers trust and plan the business operations efficiently. A prototype will be developed that can build the trust from customers and implement the information elements.

The first iteration includes of identifying all the elements for building a website. Information elements that include to build trust with the customers who access the website. All these information elements that are identified in this iteration must provide satisfaction to the users who access the website and gain trust from them. All these users have different perspectives in terms of trust which must be analyzed properly identifying all the requirements making necessary improvements to the website. Information elements that helps to build trust can also build good and healthy relationship with the customers who access the website and could be beneficial (Benlian & Hess, 2011). This iteration includes some questionnaire and focuses on certain areas that could be important really for building a trusted website which is also equally secure and comfortable to access.

After identifying the elements of information that helps to make the website secure and gain trust from customers, they are analyzed. Analysis will be done in a way how these elements can build trust as well as the way it can be implemented in the organization. Online trust is like that of the offline trust where they have lot of variation in terms of characteristics (Ben-Arieh & Pollatscheck, 2002). Distinction between the characteristics must be identified so that they can be provided with the variation and apply the information elements according to the analysis that is performed. Analysis helps to understand the nature of trust that must be built inside the website. There are certain characteristics that needs to be determined if the relationship is between the trustor and trustee (Saf’yanov, Yanin, & Tereshchenko, 2012). There should be some specific entities that must be established which helps in building the positions that are filled with different entities.

Third iteration involves with implementation of technology and building the trust in the website itself. There are certain instances where the object or technology can be a vulnerability and effect the trust. High complexity of technologies and the anonymity associated with the e-commerce can create an impact as the customers are unaware of the risks. Data statistics will be collected from user without their knowledge all the time (Saf’yanov, Yanin, & Tereshchenko, 2012). They are unaware that they are being watched of their entire usage which makes them feel insecure. This iteration helps to identify such situations and provide them with the required technology modifications and limiting the information flow helps to provide security to the website as well as build trust from customers when they access website.

Reevaluation of the website and all the elements that are included helps to find out whether there are any elements missing that makes insecure transactions in the website. All the data collected from the statistics will be analyzed using a business intelligence tool to evaluate and examine the importance of these elements and the way they can be implemented. All the challenges being faced will be resolved and the website will be more secure and efficient including all the trust elements in the website so that they can be helpful for the customers as well as the business.

Bakar, Z. A., & Shahibi, M. S. (2010, December). Information elements of a website that promotes trust in e-commerce. Retrieved from IEEE: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/251991083_Information_elements_of_a_website_that_promotes_trust_in_e-commerce

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Zheng, W., & Jin, L. (2016, April 01). A Consumer Decision-Making Model in M-Commerce: The Role of Reputation Systems in Mobile App Purchases. Information Resources Management Journal, 29(2), 37-58.