Examining User Perception of Third-Party Organization Credibility and Trust in an E-Retailer - End User Computing Challenges and Technologies: Emerging Tools and Applications - page 219

and dispute resolution. Furthermore, some types
of assurance organizations (i.e., AICPA) may
generate greater trust for certain e-retailers (e.g.,
online trading, banking, mortgage brokers) due to
enhanced perceptions of expertise, since expert
endorsers are most effective for products high in
financial, performance, or physical risk (Fried-
man & Friedman 1979). Additional research may
discern if well-known consumer advocates (i.e.,
BBB) generate trust for specific types of products,
e-retailers, or Internet shoppers.

of the study might test the findings in an actual
purchase situation. It is our hope that this research
motivates further inquiry into an important area
in the success of e-commerce.

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ConClusion

It appears that Internet consumers may inter-
mingle assurance organizations and e-retailers in
ways that have not been considered. This study
contributes to the online trust literature and pro-
vides important questions for future research,
as the findings have important implications for
the future and scope of e-commerce assurance
services. Understanding how users perceive
assurance organizations and symbols can aid
in the creation of services that more effectively
address users' online concerns. The success of
e-commerce depends on identifying stakeholders,
understanding and addressing assurance needs,
and enhancing the dominant drivers of trust.
As the generalizability of any research is al-
ways a concern, the results of this study should be
interpreted within the factors that limit the study.
First, the study uses a single Web site and a single
product category with a constant review time.
While this controls variation and aids reliability,
it also limits the generalizability of the results to
other populations and/or products. Further studies
are necessary to evaluate the research findings in
different situations. Second, the study simulates
a potential online purchase situation and a sig-
nificant financial risk to the respondents. While
realistic purchase simulations have been used
extensively in online trust research, an extension

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