How to retain consumers: A trust-commitment model

Although studies on the determinants of consumers’ continuance intention in e-marketplaces have grown in recent years, the research is predominantly related to unidimensional trust and commitment. In this research, we focus on the distinct roles of different types of consumer trust and commitment on consumers’ continuance intention. Drawing upon trust and organizational commitment theories, we develop a continuance intention model that includes two types of trust and two types of commitments. We collected a sample of 287 online consumers to validate the theoretical model. Our data suggest that consumers’ trust and commitment positively affect their continuance intention. Our study also indicates that the psychological states underlying commitments are different. Key findings and implications are discussed.