The role of trust, quality, value and risk in conducting e‐business

Risks and uncertainties inherent in the Internet often deter consumers from using it as a shopping channel. Companies usually assume that advanced technologies will solve such problems. This paper argues that many of these problems require non‐technical solutions: solutions that are associated with good business practice. Customer feedback may not only raise technical issues such as security and privacy, but also non‐technical issues such as guaranteed delivery time and the ability to talk live to customer services representatives for help. This paper analyses four aspects of running a business – trust, quality, value, and risk – in an Internet setting and offers three solutions. While there is no complete guarantee of sustainability and profitability in any business, the careful consideration of the issues discussed will help shield the business from pitfalls, which if not detected and dealt with, can cause the closure of an otherwise healthy business.