Influencing Factors on the Lending Intention of Online Peer-to-Peer Lending: Lessons from Renrendai.com

Abstract

Purpose Online Peer-to-peer lending (hereafter P2P lending), is a new method of lending money to unrelated individuals through an online financial intermediary. Usually in the online P2P transaction, individuals who would like to borrow money (hereafter borrowers) and those who would like to lend money (hereafter lenders) have no previous relationship. Based on enormous previous studies, this study develops an integrated model, particularly for the online P2P lending environment in China, to better understand the critical factors that influence lenders` intention to lend money through the online P2P lending platform. Design/methodology/approach In order to verify the hypotheses, we develop a questionnaire with 42 survey items. We measured all the items on a five-point Likert-type scale. We use Sojump.com to collect questionnaire and gather 246 valid responses from registered members of Renrendai.com. We analyzed the main survey data by using SPSS 18.0 and AMOS 20.0. We first estimated the reliability, validity, composite reliability and AVE and then conduct common method bias test. The mediating role of trust in platform and in borrower has been tested. Last we tested the hypotheses through the structural model. Findings The results reveal that service quality, information quality, structural assurance, awareness and reputation significantly impact lenders` trust in the online P2P lending platform. Second, awareness, reputation and perceived risk significantly impact lenders` trust in borrower and lending intention. Third, trust propensity has a positive effect on lenders` trust on borrower. Last, awareness, reputation, perceived risk, platform trust and borrower trust can directly impact lenders` lending intention.