Customer trust and willingness to use shopping assistant humanoid chatbot

In the digital age, brands use chatbots to address customer queries promptly. However, more research is needed on factors that build customer trust in chatbots, which is crucial for their willingness to use them. This study explores two main aspects of understanding this trust: customer perceptions of new technology acceptance (ease of use and usefulness) and the humanoid attributes of chatbots (anthropomorphism, emotional intelligence, and Personalization). Survey data from 363 Chinese online shoppers were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results show that customer perceptions and humanoid attributes significantly influence customer trust, positively impacting their willingness to use chatbots. Additionally, customer trust mediates the relationship between these factors and the desire to use chatbots. These findings offer valuable insights for brands and chatbot developers on fostering customer trust and enhancing chatbot usage in online shopping.