Part IV - Societal Mechanisms | Chapter 10

Trust as the foundation of digital markets

The role of trust as a prerequisite for digital purchasing decisions and the different trust logics of various partner forms.

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Core theses of the chapter

Trust is the invisible infrastructure of digital markets. Three types of trust structure the field: institutional trust (organizations, standards), interpersonal trust (parasocial relationships), and calculative trust (reputation signals).

The tension between commercial compensation and credibility is less antagonistic upon closer analysis than assumed. Sustainable monetization and credibility can reinforce each other.

Tables

The following tables systematize the core contents of the chapter.

Table 10.1: Types of trust and their activation in partner economy

Type of trust	Reference object	Emergence mechanism	Typical partner forms	Strengths	Vulnerabilities
Institutional trust	Organizations, Systems, Standards	Formal rules, certificates, controls	Comparison portals, certified networks	Scalable, robust against individual cases	Susceptible to systemic crises
Interpersonal Trust	Concrete individuals	Repeated interaction, parasocial relationship	Creator, Influencer, Specialist Blogger	High binding power, loyalty	Dependent on individuals, difficult to scale
Calculated trust	Aggregated information	Evaluation analysis, reputation check	Review platforms, rating systems	Comprehensible, data-based	Susceptible to manipulation

Table 10.2: Transparency paradox: effect of labeling on trust

Situation	Impact on trust	Explanation
Transparent labeling with already familiar partner	Neutral to positive	Confirms professionalism, no surprises
Transparent labeling with new partner	Positive	Signals seriousness and compliance with regulations
Opaque Marketing upon Discovery	Strongly negative	Breach of trust, loss of credibility
Excessive labeling	Neutral to negative	Can be perceived as defensive or uncertain
Missing labeling	Short-term neutral, long-term negative	Legal risk, potential scandal

Sources

The following sources were used in this chapter.

Edelman Trust Barometer 2024/2025: Annual Global Study on Trust in Institutions and Brands Annual global trust study focusing on digital markets and institutions. edelman.com/trust/trust-barometer

Thales Consumer Digital Trust Index 2024: Survey on Consumer Trust in Digital Services across 12 Countries International Consumer Survey on Trust in Digital Services (12,426 respondents in 12 countries). cpl.thalesgroup.com/2024/digital-trust-index

PMC / National Library of Medicine Purchasing in the Digital Age - Trust, Risk, Security, and e-WOM in E-Commerce (2024) Meta-analysis of trust factors in e-commerce. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11044045/

Humanities and Social Sciences Communications / Nature The Persuasive Power of Social Media Influencers in Brand Credibility and Purchase Intention (2024) Study on the impact of influencers on brand credibility and purchase intention through parasocial relationships. nature.com/articles/s41599-023-02512-1

Management Review Quarterly What Drives Individuals' Trusting Intention in Digital Platforms? An Exploratory Meta-Analysis (2024) Meta-analysis of trust factors on digital platforms (74 primary studies). link.springer.com/…/s11301-024-00477-2

BVDW Focus Group Affiliate Marketing Code of Conduct and Quality Certificates Industry standards for trust in the German Affiliate market. bvdw.org/en/committees/affiliate-marketing/

Deloitte 2025 Connected Consumer Survey: Innovation with Trust Current data on trust, data protection, and digital experience. deloitte.com/…/connectivity-mobile-trends-survey

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Chapter 9: Market Transparency, Information Economics & Pricing

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Chapter 11: Societal influences of the partner economy