Consumer trust and risk in electronic commerce platform: its relationship to buying behavior

This study examined how customer trust and perceived risk affect the electronic commerce buying behavior of 376 college students at Capiz State University Main Campus. Guided by the ABI Model, Valence Framework, and Theory of Planned Behavior, the quantitative, cross-sectional research used structured questionnaires for descriptive and inferential analysis. The findings revealed high consumer trust particularly in ability and benevolence alongside high integrity. Perceived risk was also very high, showing that students closely weigh online benefits against potential risk. Despite these concerns, buying behavior remained very high, driven by positive attitudes, social influence, and high e-commerce confidence. Statistical analysis established significant relationships among all three variables. Higher trust directly drives positive buying behavior, while perceived risk continually pressures consumer decisions. The study found that trust acts as a vital mitigating factor, softening the negative impact of perceived risk and encouraging students to continue online transactions. The study concludes that trust and perceived risk are critical determinants of e-commerce engagement. To foster sustained, confident participation in online shopping, platforms and educators must actively enhance consumer trust while minimizing perceived transactional risks.