Effects of Consumer–Host Social Interaction and Trust on Peer-to-Peer Accommodation Consumers’ Repurchase Intentions: A Trust-Transfer Perspective

Abstract

This study aims to examine how peer-to-peer (P2P) accommodation consumers’ interactions with hosts influence trust and how trust can be transferred to eventually increase repurchase intentions. Two studies were conducted. Study 1 focused on American consumers in the context of Airbnb. Study 2 focused on Chinese consumers using a variety of P2P accommodation platforms. The results from two studies consistently show that social interaction with the host in the last stay increases consumers’ trust in the host, which then generates trust in the platform through the trust transfer process. Our study contributes to the literature by clarifying the trust transfer process in the context of P2P accommodation platforms. The results can provide P2P accommodation platforms and hosts with important guidelines regarding how to enhance consumers’ repurchase intentions.