Imagine planning your next holiday. You order a ride-hailing service to the airport, check into a cosy home rented via a short-term rental platform, and order dinner from a food delivery app—all without leaving your phone.
According to Saifr, this seamless experience highlights the power of digital platforms that connect consumers to services instantly, removing traditional booking hassles. But while the convenience of the gig and sharing economy is evident, it operates on a fragile foundation: trust.
The growth of these platforms has fundamentally changed how people transact. What once involved direct interactions has now become a journey routed through digital intermediaries and contractors. These layers are designed for user convenience, but each layer introduces potential risk.
Understanding how trust influences consumer decisions in this environment was the focus of a recent survey of 1,000 U.S. adults aged 25 and over, conducted by research firm MarketSight.
The results reveal that consumers are engaging frequently with sharing services. More than half (57%) of those surveyed had used at least one type of sharing service in the past year, and many had used multiple. Delivery services emerged as the most popular, used by 77% of respondents. Home-sharing platforms followed at 56%, with task management services used by 29%. The weekly cadence of use, especially for deliveries, suggests a high level of reliance and—by extension—trust in these platforms.
But what factors are driving these choices? Unsurprisingly, cost plays a leading role, with 52% of consumers citing it as the most important consideration. However, this doesn’t mean trust-related concerns are secondary. In fact, personal safety (58%), data privacy (52%), and fraudulent charges (52%) rank among the top risks consumers associate with these services. Notably, delivery services were perceived as the safest, likely because they rarely require personal interaction or home access.
These findings show that while cost may draw users in, safety and security concerns are integral to sustained engagement. A striking 74% of respondents said they felt “safe” or “very safe” when using delivery services—an encouraging signal for platform providers, but also a reminder of the responsibility that comes with consumer trust.
For businesses in the gig and sharing economy, trust-building strategies can directly influence usage rates and market positioning. Based on the survey, organisations should focus their efforts in three critical areas. First, enhancing personal safety through comprehensive vetting of contractors using tools like AI-powered screening for adverse media and identity verification. Second, protecting data with robust cybersecurity practices and employee oversight. Third, securing financial transactions with anti-fraud systems and clear dispute resolution processes.
Every transaction within the sharing economy represents a leap of faith—a digital handshake between strangers. Although most services are delivered as promised, the possibility of fraud, poor service, or privacy breaches remains a real concern. Companies that take these risks seriously and implement meaningful safeguards will not only earn consumer trust but stand out in a competitive and increasingly crowded market.
Recently, Saifr announced its integration with Adobe that aims to redefine compliant content creation within the financial services industry.
As part of the Adobe Experience Cloud as an Adobe Technology Partner, Saifr® provides advanced AI compliance solutions that serve as a compliance guardrail for generative AI content, helping users manage their risk and enhance the speed to market of their content.
The reason for the partnership is to leverage Saifr’s AI technology within Adobe’s platform to streamline the creation of compliant content, particularly in the highly regulated financial services sector. This integration aims to enable marketers to use generative AI safely and in accordance with regulatory guidelines.
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