The Multidimensional Determinants of Consumer Trust in Social Commerce: A PLS-SEM Structural Equation Modeling Approach in the Moroccan Context

Abstract

Social commerce, a result of the convergence between e-commerce and social media platforms, is reshaping online shopping by embedding social dimensions. In this environment, where the absence of physical contact and the expansion of unfamiliar sellers all intensify consumer uncertainty, trust stands as a key driver of adoption. Yet its determinants remain underexplored in emerging contexts such as Morocco, as the literature is fragmented and largely concentrated on Western and Asian settings. Our study aims to identify and validate the multidimensional determinants of Moroccan consumers' trust in s-commerce. Based on a theoretical framework combining initial trust theory, trust transfer theory, and social influence theory, we developed a conceptual model built around seven hypotheses. We conducted a survey on a sample of 500 Moroccan s-commerce consumers and tested the model through structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM approach via SmartPLS). Three hypotheses were supported: structural assurance emerges as the strongest determinant of trust, followed by trust in peers and user-generated content (UGC) and then perceived seller credibility. Four hypotheses were rejected, revealing that trusting disposition, situational normality, perceived relationship with the vendor and perceived social influence exert no significant effect. These findings contribute to the contextualization of trust models and highlight the need to reconsider mechanically transposing Western or Asian models to emerging markets. They also offer practical guidance for platforms and Moroccan s-commerce actors seeking to better understand the mechanisms underlying the construction of trust.