Consumers' trust of salesperson and manufacturer: an empirical study

A positive model of consumers' trust of salesperson and manufacturer is developed which provides suggestions for improving relationships and increasing buyer-seller trust. The findings indicate that buyer-seller trust results from salesperson competence, low-pressure selling tactics, service quality manufacturer ethical concern, and a general tendency to trust others. Product familiarity acts to decrease the overall trust of the salesperson. Manufacturer trust is fostered by satisfaction with the ownership experience, through the antecedents of satisfaction (salesperson competence, low-pressure selling tactics, product quality, and manufacturer ethical concern), and a general tendency to trust others. Global managerial implications and directions for future research are provided. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.