Rapport Uncertainty in Co-Consumption: Conceptualization, Measurement, and Implications for Sharing Economy Platform Design

Co-consumption sharing economy platforms digitally connect strangers for mutually beneficial co-consumption of services, such as ride sharing or home sharing. In addition to efficiency gains, this is particularly relevant for the sustainable use of resources. While digital platforms have become efficient at building trust in third-party providers, co-consumption service experiences require rapport between individuals—an intersubjective fit between a client and a provider that cannot be ensured in advance by guarantees or ratings. Little is known about the role of uncertainty concerning rapport when brokering co-consumption services and how platform design can cater to users’ need for rapport. This study therefore introduces rapport uncertainty as a two-dimensional construct consisting of interaction uncertainty and connection uncertainty and draws on the service literature to derive a research model that captures the role of design features in mitigating rapport uncertainty. Our experimental study reveals that rapport uncertainty is a key determinant of platform use beyond technical and environmental uncertainties and demonstrates how platform design can reduce rapport uncertainty and facilitate transactions in co-consumption environments.