One of the biggest challenges for a new internet startup to offer an innovative financial service is to gain the trust of its potential customers. Consumers approach new concepts with legitimate caution.
The book ‘P2P Kredite – Marktplätze für Privatkredite im Internet‘ examines how p2p lending services can address the uncertainties and what measures can be used to build trust. After a short introduction of how p2p lending works and a look at Cashare, Smava, Zopa and Prosper the author covers the aspects credibility, safety, reputation, guarantee, sanctions, information and communication. Fabian Blaesi also describes how community features can help.
In an empirical study the importance of several factors for the perception and acceptance of p2p lending services by lenders is quantified.
The book is available at Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.de and Amazon.co.jp.
Sounds interesting, too bad it’s +10 years since I studied German. Will this book be available as a Kindle version?
As a lender through Lending Club, I am impressed with Zopa’s and Kiva’s very low default rates. They are much lower than Lending Club’s. Since Zopa’s interest rate tiers are quite similar to Lending Club’s, I believe that Lending Club lenders aren’t getting a fair return given the higher default rates they must shoulder.