Trust in Youth Mobile Shopping: A Mini Review

Abstract

The role of trust in shaping young consumers’ adoption and continued use of mobile shopping applications remains a contested issue within existing literature, with prior studies reporting mixed and sometimes inconclusive findings. While numerous scholars emphasize trust as a critical determinant of mobile shopping application usage, purchase intention, and consumer retention, other studies suggest its influence is context-dependent and moderated by factors such as user characteristics. This paper synthesizes and critically reviews extant research on youths’ trust in mobile shopping applications to provide understanding of its role in purchasing behavior using mobile apps. Drawing on evidence from diverse national contexts the research highlights that trust can reduce perceived risk, enhance feelings of security, and facilitate favorable attitudes toward mobile shopping, particularly in environments characterized by limited physical interaction. However, trust does not consistently function as a direct predictor of continual usage intentions, as its impact may be mediated or attenuated by variables such as perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, interface quality, technological anxiety, and social influence. The review further identifies a notable gap in the literature concerning youth-specific trust dynamics in mobile shopping applications, as prior research has predominantly focused on broader e-commerce or mobile commerce contexts. By consolidating fragmented findings, this paper underscores the multifaceted and mediating role of trust in young consumers’ mobile shopping behaviors. The paper contributes to theory by clarifying inconsistencies in prior results and offers practical insights for platform developers and online retailers seeking to enhance trust, mitigate perceived risk, and promote sustainable mobile shopping application usage in an increasingly competitive digital marketplace.