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Do reputation feedback systems really improve trust among anonymous traders? An experimental study

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  • David Masclet

    (CREM - Centre de recherche en économie et management - UNICAEN - Université de Caen Normandie - NU - Normandie Université - UR - Université de Rennes - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, CIRANO - Centre interuniversitaire de recherche en analyse des organisations - UQAM - Université du Québec à Montréal = University of Québec in Montréal)

  • Thierry Pénard

    (CREM - Centre de recherche en économie et management - UNICAEN - Université de Caen Normandie - NU - Normandie Université - UR - Université de Rennes - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

Abstract

Feedback systems are claimed to be a crucial component of the success of electronic marketplaces like eBay or Amazon Marketplace. This article aims to compare the effects of various feedback systems on trust between anonymous traders, through a set of experiments based on the trust game. Our results indicate that trust is significantly improved by the introduction of a reputation feedback system. However, such mechanisms are far from being perfect and are vulnerable to strategic ratings and reciprocation. Our findings indicate that some changes in rating rules may significantly improve the efficiency of feedback systems, by avoiding strategic rating or reciprocation, and hence stimulate trust and trustworthiness among traders. In particular, a system in which individuals are not informed of their partner's rating decision before making their own decision provides better results, both in terms of trust and earnings.
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Suggested Citation

  • David Masclet & Thierry Pénard, 2011. "Do reputation feedback systems really improve trust among anonymous traders? An experimental study," Post-Print halshs-00629500, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:halshs-00629500
    DOI: 10.1080/00036846.2011.591740
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Urs Fischbacher & Simon G�chter, 2005. "Heterogeneous social preferences and the dynamics of free riding in public goods," IEW - Working Papers 261, Institute for Empirical Research in Economics - University of Zurich.
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    Cited by:

    1. Fehr, Dietmar & Sutter, Matthias, 2019. "Gossip and the efficiency of interactions," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 448-460.
    2. Dmitry Ryvkin & Danila Serra & James Tremewan, 2015. "I paid a bribe: Information Sharing and Extortionary Corruption," Working Papers wp2015_07_01, Department of Economics, Florida State University.
    3. Matthias Wibral, 2015. "Identity changes and the efficiency of reputation systems," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 18(3), pages 408-431, September.
    4. Greiff, Matthias & Paetzel, Fabian, 2020. "Information about average evaluations spurs cooperation: An experiment on noisy reputation systems," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 334-356.
    5. Keser, Claudia & Späth, Maximilian, 2020. "The value of bad ratings: An experiment on the impact of distortions in reputation systems," University of Göttingen Working Papers in Economics 389, University of Goettingen, Department of Economics.
    6. Wibral, Matthias, 2014. "Identity changes and the efficiency of reputation systems," Discussion Paper Series of SFB/TR 15 Governance and the Efficiency of Economic Systems 465, Free University of Berlin, Humboldt University of Berlin, University of Bonn, University of Mannheim, University of Munich.
    7. Wibral, Matthias, 2014. "Identity Changes and the Efficiency of Reputation Systems," IZA Discussion Papers 8216, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    8. Lumeau, Marianne & Masclet, David & Penard, Thierry, 2015. "Reputation and social (dis)approval in feedback mechanisms: An experimental study," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 127-140.
    9. Claudia Keser & Maximilian Späth, 2020. "The Value of Bad Ratings: An Experiment on the Impact of Distortions in Reputation Systems," CIRANO Working Papers 2020s-22, CIRANO.
    10. Arvind K. Tripathi & Young-Jin Lee & Amit Basu, 2022. "Analyzing the Impact of Public Buyer–Seller Engagement During Online Auctions," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 33(4), pages 1264-1286, December.
    11. Zou, Wenbo & Wang, Jinjie & Yan, Jubo, 2022. "Online markets and trust," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 201(C), pages 395-412.
    12. Keser, Claudia & Späth, Maximilian, 2021. "The value of bad ratings: An experiment on the impact of distortions in reputation systems," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    13. Raszap Skorbiansky, Sharon, 2018. "Investing in communication: An experimental study of communication in a relational contract setting," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 85-96.
    14. Johnson, Noel D. & Mislin, Alexandra A., 2011. "Trust games: A meta-analysis," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 32(5), pages 865-889.
    15. Hayyan Alia & Eli Spiegelman, 2020. "Convertible local currency and trust: ‘It’s Not You, It’s Me’ – A field experiment in the French Basque Country," Local Economy, London South Bank University, vol. 35(2), pages 105-120, March.
    16. Greiff, Matthias & Paetzel, Fabian, 2016. "Second-order beliefs in reputation systems with endogenous evaluations – an experimental study," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 32-43.
    17. Chin, Amita Goyal & Harris, Mark A. & Brookshire, Robert, 2018. "A bidirectional perspective of trust and risk in determining factors that influence mobile app installation," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 49-59.
    18. Lingfang (Ivy) Li & Erte Xiao, 2014. "Money Talks: Rebate Mechanisms in Reputation System Design," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 60(8), pages 2054-2072, August.
    19. Amita Goyal Chin & Mark A. Harris & Robert Brookshire, 2022. "An Empirical Investigation of Intent to Adopt Mobile Payment Systems Using a Trust-based Extended Valence Framework," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 329-347, February.
    20. Krügel, Jan Philipp & Paetzel, Fabian, 2024. "The impact of fraud on reputation systems," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 329-354.
    21. Ryvkin, Dmitry & Serra, Danila & Tremewan, James, 2017. "I paid a bribe: An experiment on information sharing and extortionary corruption," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 1-22.
    22. Krügel, Jan Philipp & Paetzel, Fabian, 2021. "The Impact of Fake Reviews on Reputation Systems and Efficiency," VfS Annual Conference 2021 (Virtual Conference): Climate Economics 242415, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.

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