Abstract
This article examines trust-building systems in online sales where direct physical interaction between buyer and seller is absent. The study argues that digital trust is not formed as a single psychological reaction, but as a systemic outcome of interconnected technological, informational, social, and institutional mechanisms. Particular attention is paid to transparency, accuracy of product information, quality of digital content, UX/UI design, customer reviews, electronic word of mouth, platform rules, and post-purchase service. The paper analyzes cognitive, emotional, and institutional dimensions of trust and explains how they interact with perceived risk, information asymmetry, and uncertainty in platform-mediated commerce. A separate focus is placed on the role of artificial intelligence in online sales. AI-based recommendations, automated product descriptions, chatbots, and personalization tools can increase convenience, relevance, and efficiency; however, they may also create risks of opacity, manipulation, biased decision-making, and loss of authenticity. The study therefore interprets AI as both a mechanism of trust formation and a potential factor of trust erosion. Based on recent research in e-commerce, platform governance, social proof, user experience, and AI-mediated communication, the article proposes an integrated framework of digital trust. This framework presents trust as a dynamic and cumulative process that develops through repeated interactions, consistent signals, reliable service, and effective governance rather than as a fixed precondition for a transaction. The findings highlight the importance of coherent trust-building systems for online sellers and marketplaces seeking to strengthen consumer confidence in the absence of physical contact.
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