Online Trust Scale

What it measures

Measures consumer trust in an online vendor across three dimensions derived from Mayer, Davis & Schoorman's (1995) integrative trust model: integrity (honesty and principle adherence), benevolence (genuine concern for consumer welfare), and ability/competence (skills to deliver on promises). Foundational to e-commerce adoption research.

Response format

Likert (1–7, strongly disagree to strongly agree)

Scale items

Integrity — belief that the online vendor adheres to acceptable principles (Likert 1–7, strongly disagree to strongly agree)

• [Website] can be counted on to be sincere.
• I believe [website] keeps its promises.
• [Website] is truthful in its dealings with me.
• [Website] would behave in a consistent manner.

Benevolence — belief that the vendor cares about and is motivated to act in one's interests

• [Website] is interested in my wellbeing, not just its own.
• [Website] has my best interests in mind.
• [Website] would put my interests ahead of its own.
• [Website] genuinely cares about its customers.

Ability / Competence — belief in the vendor's skills and abilities to deliver

• [Website] is competent and effective at what it does.
• [Website] performs its role very well.
• Overall, [website] is a capable and proficient service provider.
• [Website] has adequate security features to protect my data.

Full scale items shown. Always cite the original source when using this scale in research.

Usage notes & scoring

Three subscale scores and a total. Score = mean per subscale. Widely used in Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) extensions and e-commerce adoption research. Distinct from website usability trust signals — captures dispositional and institutional trust in the specific vendor.

Recommended companion scales

Citation

Gefen, D., Karahanna, E., & Straub, D.W. (2003). Trust and TAM in online shopping: An integrated model. MIS Quarterly, 27(1), 51–90.

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