International Journal of

ADVANCED AND APPLIED SCIENCES

EISSN: 2313-3724, Print ISSN: 2313-626X

Frequency: 12

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 Volume 13, Issue 9 (September 2026), Pages: 39-53

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 Original Research Paper

Factors influencing consumer trust in online shopping and its impact on online purchase decisions: A study in Vietnam

 Author(s): 

Vu Tuan Anh 1, Pham Thi Oanh 2, Can Thi Thu Huong 3, *

 Affiliation(s):

1School of Interdisciplinary Sciences and Arts, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Vietnam
2Faculty of Business Administration, Trade Union University, Hanoi, Vietnam
3Faculty of Economics, Banking Academy of Vietnam, Hanoi, Vietnam

 Full text

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 * Corresponding Author. 

   Corresponding author's ORCID profile:  https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8225-6557

 Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

 
https://doi.org/10.21833/ijaas.2026.09.005

 Abstract

Vietnam’s rapidly growing e-commerce market continues to face challenges related to consumer trust. This study examines the factors influencing consumer trust and its effect on online purchase decisions among Vietnamese consumers. Using PLS-SEM with 414 valid responses, the study tests eleven hypotheses, focusing on a cue-to-experience mechanism in which supplier reputation and supplier size are examined both as direct cues of trust and as upstream cues whose effects may be mediated by website quality and perceived service quality. The bootstrapped specific indirect effects indicate significant mediation of the relationship between supplier reputation and trust through website quality and perceived service quality, as well as of the relationship between supplier size and trust through perceived service quality. However, the indirect effect of supplier size on trust through website quality is not significant at the 5% level. Website quality, perceived service quality, information security, and reference-group influence directly strengthen consumer trust, while trust positively influences online purchase decisions. This study contributes to the literature by showing that symbolic supplier cues do not automatically build consumer trust in the Vietnamese context; rather, much of their influence is realized through observable digital and service experiences. The findings provide practical guidance for online retailers on improving website transparency, live support, return and refund procedures, data-security communication, verified reviews, and after-sales service.

 © 2026 The Authors. Published by IASE.

 This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

 Keywords

Consumer trust, E-commerce, Online purchase decisions, PLS-SEM, Vietnam

 Article history

Received 7 April 2026, Received in revised form 28 August 2026, Accepted 5 September 2026

 Acknowledgment

The authors sincerely thank all respondents who voluntarily participated in the survey and provided valuable information for this study. 

 Compliance with ethical standards

 Ethical considerations

This study received ethical approval from the Science and Training Council of Trade Union University, Vietnam (Ref. No. 1068/2026/STC-TUU). Participation was voluntary, and informed consent was obtained from all respondents. Participants' anonymity, privacy, and confidentiality were protected throughout the research process. Parental or guardian consent and participant assent were obtained for respondents under 18. The data were used exclusively for academic research purposes. 

 Conflict of interest: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

 Citation:

Anh VT, Oanh PT, and Huong CTT (2026). Factors influencing consumer trust in online shopping and its impact on online purchase decisions: A study in Vietnam. International Journal of Advanced and Applied Sciences, 13(9): 39-53

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