Aurimas Pumputis

This study investigates building of trust between service providers and consumers on peer-to-peer tourist accommodation platforms by focusing on their affordances. Trust is necessary for peer-to-peer exchanges to happen. Platforms, as technological intermediaries afford specific actions that can result in trust, for example mutual consumer-provider reviews. Use of the same measures may imply suspicion towards the users’ misconduct. A qualitative research design is used to analyze how trust or distrust develops between users of Airbnb platform as its affordances for trust building are actualized. The results suggest that the trust building systems may leave tourists in a vulnerable position.