Consumers trust marketplaces more than brands online
Wed, 27th May 2026 (Today)
G2A and Juniper Research have published a global consumer study on trust in digital commerce, finding that consumers rate online marketplaces as more trustworthy than buying directly from brands.
Based on responses from more than 9,000 consumers in nine countries, including the UK, US, Germany and France, the report examines attitudes to payment security, platform responsibility and AI-led shopping.
Across all markets surveyed, marketplaces scored higher than direct brand purchases on perceived trustworthiness. The findings suggest a shift in how consumers assess online transactions, with confidence in the platform itself becoming a central factor in purchase decisions.
Payment methods featured prominently. Some 60% of respondents said trusted digital wallets were the main factor in establishing trust online, ahead of multi-factor authentication and transparent privacy policies.
Digital wallets were the preferred payment method in Germany, Poland and Italy. The study also found that 32% of respondents choose a payment method specifically to avoid sharing financial details with merchants, underscoring how payment design now shapes confidence in online shopping.
Security burden
The research suggests consumers increasingly expect platforms to take the lead on transaction safety. Half of respondents said eCommerce platforms carry the main responsibility for security, compared with 30% who assigned that responsibility to banks and payment providers and 20% who saw consumers as primarily responsible.
The finding points to a broad willingness among shoppers to shift security obligations to the companies hosting transactions. It also highlights the pressure on marketplaces to maintain safeguards as fraud and online scams grow more complex and increasingly rely on manipulating user behaviour.
The study comes as online marketplaces seek to define their role beyond simply hosting transactions. In that context, trust measures such as seller checks, payment protections and dispute processes are becoming part of the commercial offer, not just a compliance function.
Security remains one of G2A's priorities, it said, outlining a verification process for business sellers with a 25% approval rate. Only verified business sellers are allowed on the platform after what G2A described as a 48-step verification procedure.
G2A said it serves more than 35 million users in 180 countries and recorded more than 200 million visits in 2025. It also offers more than 125,000 digital products, including games, subscriptions, software and gift cards.
AI hesitation
The report also explored attitudes towards what it described as agentic commerce, in which AI systems make purchases or recommendations with limited human input. Consumers showed mixed views: overall trust in AI scored 6 out of 10, but respondents remained wary of letting AI agents buy products or services on their behalf.
The main concerns were loss of human control and data privacy. The findings suggest this scepticism stems more from unfamiliarity than bad experiences, meaning adoption may depend on how much control and transparency platforms offer users.
That uneven sentiment means uptake is unlikely to be consistent across markets or consumer groups. For digital commerce platforms, the findings suggest AI-led shopping tools may face a higher bar for acceptance than other changes in payments or checkout design.
"The findings highlight the "Trust Advantage", a measurable growth opportunity for digital marketplaces that aligns consumer expectations with robust security infrastructure," said Bartosz Skwarczek, Founder and Chairman, G2A.
Juniper Research said the study reflects broader changes in the digital economy, as trust becomes tied not just to fraud prevention but also to user experience and control. The firm specialises in research and forecasting across fintech, telecoms and the internet of things sectors.
For digital marketplaces, the survey's message is that trust now influences how consumers choose where and how to transact. Responses on AI, payments and platform accountability show that confidence is becoming a commercial differentiator in online retail.
"Trust, transparency, and user control will determine which platforms gain a competitive advantage as adoption accelerates in the coming years," said Nick Maynard, Vice President of Fintech Market Research, Juniper Research.