Hierarchal Formation of Trust on Peer-to-Peer Lodging Platforms

Based on the concept of trust from a hierarchical approach and with the support of processing fluency theory, the current study investigates customer trust, and its relationships with flow experience, satisfaction, and repatronage intention on peer-to-peer (P2P) lodging platforms. Customer flow experience on the Airbnb platform is verified to be an antecedent of economy-based trust. The hierarchical organization of trust is also proved applicable in the context of sharing economy websites (economy-based trust → information-based trust → identification-based trust). The results provide marketers and hosts of P2P lodging platforms effective strategies to assist customers form trust in sequential steps and in multiple perspectives. The present study is a pioneer which in depth examined trust formation in the emerging sharing economy platforms.