Trust in the digital marketplace: exploring ethical information strategies through the ESG framework

With the evolution of online commerce due to changes in technology, the demands of consumers regarding fair use of data and proper management of the digital world are on the rise. This paper examines the effects of ethical information disclosure behaviour on customer confidence, perceptions of e-commerce ethics and buying behaviour in electronic commerce contexts. Based on semi-structured interviews with 20 respondents and processed with the help of thematic analysis and fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA), the paper reveals two different routes through which trust is built on the online marketplaces. The results demonstrate that one type of consumer attaches importance to the indicators of transparency, privacy and social proof rather than to the signs of institutional trust, and another group of consumers values signs of formal trust (seals and technical certifications) higher. These findings indicate the fact that technological practices that are ethical, especially concerning transparency and communication of information, can greatly influence consumers’ confidence and decision-making. This paper can help the field of responsible digital innovation by connecting consumer behaviour with responsible digital innovation and providing practical solutions to achieve the introduction of an ESG-aligned disclosure system into e-commerce practices.