Reputation & Trust_2Qs

1. How do you build up trust for online shopping?

I am reading the “reputation systems” article by Resnick and et al. The article is about pros and cons of online reputations system, like the feedback forum in e-bay. Actually, I am not a big online shopper. But when I do online shopping, I do check the others’ feedback and rating for the seller.

But I will look more closely about how the seller response to others and how quick sh/e response and how well sh/e ship and package the items. Besides, I will compare the price before I decide the buyer and how to deal with the refund. And more, I always will check the brand name product with good reputation and ask my close and trust friends before I make decision.

So for me, I cannot just trust one resource like the online rating or reputation systems to purchase goods online. I would use multiple decision making system, like my budget, price comparison, quality of the product, what type of product to buy, trust friends’ comment, online rating system, the reputation of e-business provider, shipping fee and the handle of package, etc.. So my question is for you when doing online shopping, usually what are the criteria for you to trust the buyer and place the order? What will make you decide to go shopping with the same buyer or not?

2. What is your comparison and contrast the reputation system of E-bay and Amazon?

In David & Pinch’s article “Six degrees of reputation”, they offered the reputation system from Amazon.com. They are (1) activities outside the online recommendation system, (2) paid editors providing professional, well-written, mostly positive review, (3) expert users/readers sharing non-commercial comment, (4) lay-readers’ rating on expert/paid editors, (5) lay-readers’ rating on the expert users/readers, (5) expert users being credentialed by the amount of their post.

Personally, I feel this reputation system is better the one offered by e-bay (the one discussed in Resnick and et al).It allows more resources to build up the reputation. You not just rely on the buyer and seller’s rating to each other. You will check how the real and virtual, experts and general users’ comment about the book or products. It will give me a buyer more information to make decision. So my question is how do you compare and contrast the reputation system offered by E-bay and Amazon?