The Impact of the Quality of Information Possessed by Chatbots Used in e-Marketplaces on Customer Trust

Abstract

The aim of this research was to examine the information quality of chatbot applications used in e-marketplace websites within the contexts of integrity, helpfulness, and competence in customer trust within a holistic model. This research was conducted using structural equation modeling (SEM) with data obtained from 451 participants who used chatbots in e-marketplaces. The findings revealed that participants' chatbot experiences in e-marketplaces had a strong impact on all three dimensions of customer trust: integrity and helpfulness. Based on these findings, we concluded that the information quality of chatbots in e-marketplaces strengthens users' perceptions of integrity in the context of customer trust, that they positively evaluate the helpfulness or capabilities of the system or e-marketplace, and that trust levels increase depending on the competence of the chatbot used. The study theoretically answers the question of how customers' chatbot experiences in e-marketplaces affect customer trust and contributes to the literature in this respect. In terms of application, it shows that improving the quality of information in chatbot design in e-marketplaces will shape customer trust and therefore other customer behaviors depending on trust, and this can develop positive attitudes towards the brand.