Marvi, RezaAlsheikh, Maram2024-12-232024-09Alsheikh, M. (2024). The impact of online reviews and ratings on consumer trust in e-commerce: A systematic literature review. (Master’s dissertation). Aston University, Birmingham.Candidate Number: 996492https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14154/74362Description of My Dissertation My dissertation, titled "The Impact of Online Reviews and Ratings on Consumer Trust in E-Commerce: A Systematic Literature Review," explores the role that online reviews and ratings play in shaping consumer trust and purchasing decisions in e-commerce platforms. The study synthesizes existing research to identify the key factors influencing consumer trust, including review credibility, valence, visibility, and reviewer characteristics. The research highlights how positive reviews increase consumer trust and purchase intentions, while negative reviews often deter purchases but are scrutinized more carefully as valuable risk-reduction tools. A significant gap was identified in understanding how consumers attribute the causes of negative reviews and how these attributions influence trust recovery. Through a systematic literature review, this dissertation provides theoretical insights into online consumer behavior, as well as practical strategies for businesses to leverage online reviews to enhance customer trust and foster long-term relationships. The findings emphasize the importance of credible review systems and suggest directions for future research in mitigating the effects of fake or manipulated reviews in the evolving digital marketplace.This systematic literature review investigates the role of online reviews and ratings in shaping consumer trust and purchasing decisions in e-commerce platforms. The study synthesizes existing research to identify key factors influencing consumer trust, such as review credibility, valence, visibility, and reviewer characteristics. Positive reviews with high ratings are found to increase consumer trust and purchase intentions, while negative reviews act as deterrents, though they are scrutinized more carefully as valuable for risk reduction. The research also identifies a gap in understanding how consumers attribute the causes of negative reviews and how these attributions impact trust recovery. The findings have significant theoretical and practical implications, offering businesses guidance on managing online reviews to foster long-term consumer trust and enhance e-commerce success. Future research should explore the impact of new forms of online reviews and address challenges like fake reviews and their implications for consumer trust.50enOnline ReviewsConsumer TrustE-commerceRatingsPurchasing DecisionsThesis