Consumers’ Willingness to Disclose Personal Information in E-Commerce: the effect of local privacy policies in a two-country perspective
(A2026-133345)

AUTHORS

Alexandra Rese, University of Bayreuth; Yuqi Wang, University of Bayreuth

ABSTRACT

In the context of e-commerce globalization, personal information has become a core re-source for platform operations. Investigating consumers’ attitudes toward privacy disclosure across different countries not only deepens understanding of cultural differences but also guides the design of localized privacy policies. We develop a structural equation model and employ multi-group analysis to compare survey data from 342 respondents in China and Germany. The results indicate similarities, but also significant differences. The role of risk perception and privacy concerns was weaker for Chinese consumers, while German consumers have a more cautious privacy attitude. Contrary to expectations, the mediating effect of perceived regulatory effectiveness on disclosure willingness through trust is stronger in China. Overall, this study contributes to the literature on cross-cultural privacy research and offers practical implications for privacy management in global e-commerce platforms.