Factors Affecting Initial Trust in C2C E-Commerce and Strategies of Building Initial Trust in China
Huamei Sun

Factors Affecting Initial Trust in C2C E-Commerce and Strategies of
Building Initial Trust in China
Huamei Sun
School of Management, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
E-mail:shm9166@sina.com

Abstract
The study of initial trust is very important to the development of e-commerce. On the basis of current status of China’s C2C e-commerce, this paper conducts an in-depth analysis of the factors affecting the consumers’ initial trust. At last, the paper provides some valuable marketing strategies as to how to build the initial trust so as to facilitate the success of online transactions. The research conducted by this paper will help enterprise enhance their competitive advantage and contribute to the development of e-commerce.

Keywords: Initial Trust, C2C E-Commerce, Online Shopping
1. Introduction
The study of the trust in the e-commerce environment has long been mostly focusing on the B2C
Model, yet with the development of the information technology, the online C2C business has accounted for more than 75% of the online shopping turnover, which has influenced people’s work environment greatly and become an important part in the daily life of consumers in the information society. Under the C2C e-commerce environment characterized by the person-to-person transactions, it’s difficult for the buyer and seller to build a high degree of trust. Online transactions are different from the traditional ones. Consumers face more risks when making an online purchasing decision. Trust is an important factor under conditions of uncertainty and risk. Consumer’s belief that an e-vendor can be trusted plays a vital role in attracting and retaining consumers [1, 2]. In recent years, hundreds of group buying forums have appeared in