Technology as the Catalyst of Users' Acceptance in Electronic Commerce

Trust is certainly going to be a key factor for Electronic Commerce (EC) to become universally accepted. It has always been the catalyst of any traditional commercial activity: without trust in their counter-parts neither consumers nor merchants will ever engage themselves in any transactions. Similarly, if trust and confidence in the new digital environment of EC cannot be provided, users will simply reject this new way of trading and retailing. Usability is another key factor for the acceptance of EC services and applications. EC has in fact to do with humans, and not only computers (at a major difference from EDI). The introduction of any technological function (be it related to security, payment, or multimedia services) into an EC application has therefore to be measured against its overall usability by the categories of users it is intended for. Again, the net result of not doing so would simply be the dismissal of this service or application. The issues of usability, trust and confidence in EC have to be addressed with a view to defining and experimenting with technical solutions which could be adopted, in the next generation of Internet-based EC services and applications, to create a familiar and trusted commercial environment in a digital setting. Some of these issues have already been addressed by the on-going research project TRADE (Trials in the Domain of Electronic Commerce) within the ACTS Programme of the EU’s 4th Framework Programme. Based on the authors’ experience of deploying and running advanced trials of Electronic Commerce in TRADE, this chapter will attempt to outline a scenario of how the integration of different technologies could represent the catalyst for an effective uptake of interoperable EC services throughout Europe. In consideration of the forthcoming new wave of European Research and Technology