As social commerce continues to reshape digital retail, the findings provide valuable insights for businesses, e-commerce platforms, and policymakers seeking to improve customer confidence in online marketplaces.
Why Consumer Trust Matters in Social Commerce
Indonesia has become one of Southeast Asia's fastest-growing digital commerce markets, driven by widespread internet access and changing consumer behavior. Platforms such as TikTok Shop combine entertainment, social interaction, and online shopping into a single ecosystem, allowing users to discover products through videos, read customer feedback, and purchase items without leaving the application.
Despite these advantages, online shopping still presents challenges. Consumers cannot physically inspect products before making a purchase, increasing uncertainty about product quality and seller reliability. Fake reviews, manipulated ratings, and discrepancies between advertised and delivered products remain persistent concerns across many e-commerce platforms.
These issues have made consumer trust a critical competitive advantage for online sellers. The study by Universitas Sumatera Utara explores how reviews, ratings, and live selling work together to reduce uncertainty and strengthen trust among TikTok Shop users in Medan, Indonesia.
Simple Survey of TikTok Shop Users
The researchers surveyed 150 TikTok Shop users in Medan City who had purchased products through the platform's Live Selling feature at least twice.
Participants completed structured questionnaires measuring their perceptions of:
- Online customer reviews
- Online customer ratings
- Live selling experiences
- Customer trust
The responses were analyzed using a quantitative statistical model to examine how these factors influence one another. Rather than focusing on technical statistical details, the study evaluated whether each factor directly contributes to consumer trust and whether live selling strengthens those relationships.
Key Findings
The study found that every major factor examined positively influences customer trust.
Online Customer Reviews Build Confidence
Consumers place considerable value on detailed reviews written by previous buyers. Positive reviews containing authentic experiences, photos, or videos help reduce uncertainty and encourage prospective customers to trust both the seller and the product.
According to the study, better-quality customer reviews consistently lead to higher consumer trust.
High Ratings Increase Trust
Product ratings also play a significant role.
Consumers often use star ratings as a quick indicator of product quality and seller credibility. Products with consistently high ratings are perceived as safer purchases, especially when buyers do not have time to read numerous written reviews.
The research confirms that higher customer ratings significantly improve trust among TikTok Shop users.
Live Selling Has the Strongest Direct Effect
Among all variables examined, live selling demonstrated the strongest direct impact on customer trust.
Real-time product demonstrations allow sellers to answer questions, show product details from multiple angles, and interact directly with viewers. This transparency helps reduce doubts that often exist during online shopping.
Consumers become more confident when they can see products demonstrated live instead of relying solely on photos or descriptions.
Live Selling Makes Reviews and Ratings More Persuasive
One of the study's most important discoveries is the moderating role of live selling.
The researchers found that live selling strengthens the influence of both customer reviews and customer ratings on consumer trust.
This means that:
- Positive reviews become even more convincing when consumers can watch live demonstrations of the product.
- High product ratings become more credible when sellers validate product quality during live broadcasts.
Rather than replacing reviews and ratings, live selling complements them by providing visual proof and immediate interaction that reinforces customer confidence.
Practical Implications for Businesses
The findings offer several practical recommendations for digital businesses operating through TikTok Shop and other social commerce platforms.
Sellers should actively encourage satisfied customers to leave honest, detailed reviews accompanied by photos or videos. Maintaining consistently high ratings through quality products and reliable customer service is equally important.
The research also highlights the strategic value of investing in professional live selling sessions. Interactive demonstrations, transparent product presentations, and responsive communication help establish credibility while reducing consumers' perceived purchasing risks.
For e-commerce platforms, the study reinforces the importance of protecting review authenticity, preventing rating manipulation, and supporting high-quality live shopping experiences that enhance consumer trust.
Research Perspective
Yahya Muhaimin and his colleagues from Universitas Sumatera Utara conclude that consumer trust in social commerce is no longer built by reviews or ratings alone. Instead, trust emerges from the combination of authentic customer feedback, strong seller reputations, and real-time product interaction through live selling.
Their findings suggest that live selling transforms passive information into observable evidence, allowing consumers to verify product quality before making purchasing decisions.
Opportunities for Future Research
The authors recommend expanding future studies by examining specific product categories such as fashion, cosmetics, electronics, or food, since purchasing behavior may vary across industries.
Future research could also incorporate additional variables, including product quality, brand image, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty, to provide a broader understanding of trust formation in social commerce.
Author Profiles
Yahya Muhaimin is a researcher in the Master's Program in Management at Universitas Sumatera Utara, Indonesia. His research focuses on digital marketing, consumer behavior, social commerce, and e-commerce management.
Endang Sulistya Rini is a senior lecturer and researcher at Universitas Sumatera Utara, specializing in marketing management, consumer behavior, and strategic marketing.
Fadli is a lecturer and researcher at Universitas Sumatera Utara whose expertise includes business strategy, management, and digital marketing.
Source
Article Title: The Effect of Online Customer Reviews and Online Customer Ratings on Customer Trust, with Live Selling as a Moderating Variable, among TikTok Shop Users in Medan
Authors: Yahya Muhaimin, Endang Sulistya Rini, Fadli
Journal: Formosa Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (FJMR)
Publication Year: 2026
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