Disclosure of personal data in ecommerce: A cross-national comparison of Estonia and the United States Cory Robinson Linköping University, Department of Science and Technology, Campus Norrköping, 601 74 Norrköping, Sweden article info Article history: Received 8 June 2016 Received in revised form 8 September 2016 Accepted 8 September 2016 Available online 9 September 2016 Keywords: Self-disclosure Privacy Online marketing Cross-cultural Ecommerce abstract This study examines how demographic variables affect willingness to disclose and per- ceived risks of disclosing personally identifying information (PII, also referred to as personal data in Europe) in ecommerce in the United States and Estonia. The study utilized a 17- item list of potential disclosure items (name, email address, etc.), categorized reliably into six sub-indices: contact information, payment information, life history information, finan- cial/medical information, work-related information, and online account information. Online disclosure consciousness (ODC) is introduced as a framework to conceptualize, explain the study’s findings, and empirically measure the gap between one’s willingness to disclose and perceived risk pertaining to the overall 17-item index used in the study, the sub-indices, and particular items. The results show significant gaps among participants both within and across nations. Despite Estonia’s advanced adoption and progressive poli- cies and practices toward the Internet, Americans are more willing to disclose, and less concerned about perceived risks. The findings suggest willingness to disclose and risk aver- sion can and should be analyzed empirically together. The theoretical model provides an alternative conceptualization to the ideas of the privacy paradox, privacy calculus, and pri- vacy cost-benefit ratios. Implications for theory, consumers, marketing practice, and public policy are discussed. Importantly, the study can inform increased adoption of ecommerce and the digital economy, while also protecting consumer’s personal data. Ó 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Ecommerce, defined as the purchasing of goods or services as ‘‘digitally enabled commercial transaction[s] between and among organizations and individuals” (Laudon and Traver, 2003, p. 10), is a strong economic force totaling over $1 trillion in sales in 2013 (Leggatt, 2013, para. 1). As with many digital technologies, consumers must divulge personal data in order to utilize services or interact with websites. Ecommerce requires consumers to provide information necessary for fulfilling and completing an online purchase (i.e. address, phone number, credit card information). Further, consumers may disclose information in exchange for a more personalized shopping experience or for product recommendations (Chellappa and Sin, 2005). As the frequency with which individuals provide private information over the Internet increases, protecting personal information has become critically important. The lack of comprehensive policies in the United States aimed at protecting consumer privacy and controlling access to consumer information has created a sense of urgency around issues of consumer privacy. Global losses of $11 billion in 2012 due to cyber fraud (Quested, 2014) underscore the need to develop better ways http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2016.09.006 0736-5853/Ó 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. E-mail address: cory.robinson@liu.se Telematics and Informatics 34 (2017) 569–582 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Telematics and Informatics journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/tele