Transparency and trust in cargo claims: microenterprises selling internationally on a peer-to-peer platform

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study is to determine the factors that impact the trust of microenterprises in online selling platforms and cargo carriers and examine the consequences of a lack of trust. Design/methodology/approach This study adopts a qualitative exploratory approach and uses grounded theory to generate insights based on interviews with 27 microenterprise owners selling internationally on an online selling platform. Findings The results show that a lack of competence, an absence of an integrated claim system and a lack of transparency are the main factors affecting sellers’ trust in online selling platforms. The relationship between the sellers’ intention to continue to use the online selling platform and their trust in the platform was found to be moderated by switching costs. Research limitations/implications This study is limited in that the results were mainly based on the sellers’ perspectives although the phenomenon of interest involves various actors. To mitigate this limitation and cross-check the data, the customer reviews and some of the sellers’ account statistics were also analyzed. Practical implications This study introduces the sellers’ perspectives on the dynamics of supply chain management in international micro trade. These dynamics provide a guideline for how to build and manage an online selling platform targeting microenterprises. Originality/value Unlike previous studies, this study examines online transaction behaviors from the standpoint of sellers, not buyers. Moreover, it is the first study examining the damaged or lost shipments within the context of online transactions in international micro trade.