Effects of service providers’ self-disclosure on booking platforms on consumers’ trust, hesitation, and booking intentions: moderating role of social media influencers

ABSTRACT

This study aims to examine the relationship between service providers’ self-disclosure on hotel booking platforms (i.e. Booking.com and TripAdvisor) and consumers’ trust, hesitation, and booking intentions. The study also investigates the mediating effects of trust and hesitation on booking intentions and the moderating role of social media influencers (SMIs) on these relationships. Data analysis of 418 respondents found that service providers’ self-disclosure significantly affects consumers’ trust and hesitation, which in turn impacts their booking intentions. The results also showed that trust and hesitation both mediate the relationship between self-disclosure and booking intentions, with trust decreasing hesitation. Additionally, the study found that SMIs significantly strengthen the effect on consumers’ trust and weaken hesitation through self-disclosure. These findings contribute to our understanding of trust, service management, and consumer behavior, and have implications for online booking platforms. The study also acknowledges its limitations and suggests areas for future research.

本研究旨在检验服务提供商在酒店预订平台（即booking.com和TripAdvisor）上的自我披露与消费者的信任、犹豫和预订意向之间的关系. 该研究还调查了信任和犹豫对预订意向的中介作用，以及社交媒体影响者（SMI）对这些关系的调节作用. 对418名受访者的数据分析发现，服务提供商的自我披露显著影响了消费者的信任和犹豫，进而影响了他们的预订意向. 结果还表明，信任和犹豫都在自我披露和预订意向之间起中介作用，信任减少了犹豫. 此外，研究发现，SMI通过自我披露显著增强了对消费者信任的影响，并削弱了犹豫. 这些发现有助于我们理解信任、服务管理和消费者行为，并对在线预订平台产生影响. 该研究也承认其局限性，并提出了未来研究的领域.

KEYWORDS:

• Self-disclosure
• consumer trust
• hesitation
• social media influencer
• booking platforms

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).