Perceived deception in online auctions: Antecedents and consequences

Despite the explosive growth of electronic commerce, individuals hesitate to shop online due to acts of deception, a behavior which is especially exaggerated on auction websites. The study explores antecedents of perceived deception from a deceptive impression management (IM) perspective to understand the consumer purchase decision process in online auctions. This study proposes online deceptive IM as the antecedent of perceived deception, and trust and transaction intention as consequences of perceived deception in online auctions. The study discusses the moderating effects of involvement with the online channel in consumer decision making. Possible approaches to addressing online deception are provided.