Affiliations: [a] Faculty of Management and Administration, Macao University of Science and Technology, Macao, P.R. China. Tel.: +853-897-2057; Fax: +853-880022; E-mail: cpang@must.edu.mo | [b] Department of Decision Sciences and MIS, RTF School of Business, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio 45056, USA. Tel.: (513) 529-4827; Fax: (513) 529-9689; E-mail: yendc@muohio.edu | [c] Department of Business Information Systems, Haworth College of Business, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5412, USA. Tel.: (269) 387-5428; Fax: (269) 387-5710; E-mail: mike.tarn@wmich.edu
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author.
Abstract: B2C e-commerce in China is surprisingly not as prosperous as people expect in the current stage. The lacking of consumers' trust is believed to be one of the major handicaps for further development and growth of B2C e-commerce in China. This study segmented online shoppers with different e-trust levels based on their past online purchasing experience and income. This study proves that online shoppers in China with higher e-trust levels are more likely to have higher purchasing power. It is suggested that the most effective marketing strategy for an e-commerce firm targeting the shoppers in China is to attract and promote their first online purchasing experience. Further, China's middle class has proven to be major online purchasers. E-firms who could gain their trust eventually will be more profitable in the cyberspace.
Keywords: e-trust, B2C, e-commerce, online purchasing, shoppers, China
