Online store trustworthiness and customer loyalty: Moderating the effect of the customerʹs perception of the virtual environment

This research seeks to determine which elements of trust, namely, ability, integrity and benevolence, influence customer loyalty. The study also examines how the customerʹs perception of the virtual environment influences the effect of the elements of trust on customer loyalty. It was found that only integrity and benevolence have a positively significant effect on customer loyalty and that the customerʹs perception of the virtual environment positively moderates the relationship between these two variables (integrity and benevolence) and customer loyalty. The results suggest that the online store should adjust the online transaction environment to maximize the effect of trust on customer loyalty.