Trust me if you can: The effect of driver username on passengers' intention to use ride-sharing service

Building trust and enhancing consumers' participation are critical for the growth of peer-to-peer sharing economy. This research explores the effect of driver username on passengers' intention to use ride-sharing service and its underlying psychological mechanisms. The results indicate that driver username has a significant impact on passengers' intention to use ride-sharing service, as a driver with a real name elicits greater intention to use ride-sharing service than a driver with a screen name (studies 1, 2, 3a, 3b, and 3c). In addition, the effect of driver username on passengers' intention to use ride-sharing service is serially mediated by social presence and trust (study 2). Importantly, the effect of driver username on passengers' intention to use ride-sharing service is moderated by driver reputation (studies 3a, 3b, and 3c). A high (vs. low) reputation facilitates the impact of driver username on passengers' usage intention. Based upon these findings, theoretical and practical implications are discussed.