Periodic examination is a critical feature for assurance but not insurance; accordingly
insurance is potentially a lower‐cost alternative to assurance. Unlike assurance, however,
whether insurance inspires consumer confidence remains an unexplored empirical
question. This paper compares consumer receptiveness to the concepts of assurance and
insurance in an e‐commerce setting. Results (n= 360) in a controlled experiment indicate
equivalent consumer receptiveness to assurance and insurance; both significantly increase …