The Impact of Website Design on B2C E-Commerce Trust – An Empirical Study

Abstract

Web designers have developed an d im plem ented various fu n ction al techniques fo r enhancing user trust in Business-to-Conswnm
e-com m erce websites; how ever these have proved inadequate as consumers still do not trust the online environment. This “trust-M
seen as a m ajor im pedim ent to the continued growth ofB 2C e-com m erce activities. Our research exam ines the impact of the bask
design elem ents o f color an d typography in influencing user perceptions o f trust in e-com m erce websites. An experimental stitij
conducted in the context o f an online banking website. Results indicate that a website with blue as the dom inant design color mi
New Rom an as the prim ary typeface engenders greater trust in the user than a website with green as the dom inant design color andOn
as the prim ary typeface. Thus, in addition to its aesthetic role, web-designers can use color an d typography to explicitly increase u&l
in e-com m erce websites.