Customers' Perceived Security: Relative Effectiveness of Trust Transference Mechanisms

Security concerns pose a bigger threat for less known web vendors because of their lack of reputation. However, trust transference provides a mechanism for web vendors to get a higher level of trust. We utilized an experimental design to examine the effect of two trust transference mechanisms on the perceived security of customers for a less known organization. Results of our study indicate that a less known organization can improve its perceived security for its customers through the use of trust transference mechanisms. Our results have implications for developing competitive positioning strategies for less known web vendors.