Clicking with caution: Lovre Sasso explores the hidden paradox of global e-commerce trust
Think about the last time you bought something from a foreign website; did you hesitate for a second before clicking "Order"? That exact moment of hesitation is what inspired Lovre Sasso to step outside the classroom and onto the global stage. For Lovre, a junior Global Business Management student, curiosity about everyday digital trust became a passport to the international scientific community. In May 2026, he transformed a standard class assignment into a major milestone, presenting his research at two prestigious global events: the Global Social Nexus 2026 conference in Ljubljana and the Sixth Annual RIT Undergraduate Global Humanities Virtual Conference.
Lovre’s journey began with an observation about everyday digital behavior. "Online shopping from foreign platforms is something many of us do regularly," Lovre explains. "However, there are still questions about safety, payments, delivery, returns, and whether the platform can be trusted." Guided by his mentor, Dr. Nina Antičić, Lovre channeled this curiosity into a research paper exploring how perceptions of online safety and consumer trust influence our willingness to engage in cross-border e-commerce.
Unpacking the psychology of online shopping
The topic originated in a Consumer Behavior course project, where Lovre explored issues related to consumer perception, decision-making, and the attitudes and behaviors of digital nomads. “As we discussed his broader interests, particularly trust and online consumer behavior, the focus gradually shifted toward cross-border e-commerce,” says Dr. Antičić.
Lovre’s research into modern digital consumers revealed an interesting contradiction: even though people are constantly buying things from international websites, they don't fully trust them. "Many respondents trusted platforms from a functional side, meaning they believed platforms could process payments properly," Lovre notes. "However, they were less confident that platforms are always honest or that they prioritize consumers’ interests."
His study also revealed that experience acts as an antidote to anxiety, showing that frequent users inherently felt safer. The project beautifully bridged Lovre’s major with his minors in Management and Psychology. It allowed him to view international market challenges through both a "strategic and human perspective."
Merging ethics and analytics
Bringing a project like this to life takes a set of practical tools, and Lovre built his step-by-step through his classes. In his Consumer Behavior course with Dr. Antičić, he learned how to design surveys and analyze data. Meanwhile, a Business Ethics class with Senior Lecturer Milena Kužnin pushed him to look at trust "not only as a technical issue, but also as an ethical one."
Dr. Antičić, who has taught Lovre across several marketing courses, praises his work ethic. "Lovre demonstrated a high level of independence, motivation, and commitment to academic work," she states, noting that the project has now evolved into an ongoing publication effort. Lovre emphasizes that this strong faculty support made all the difference: "Honestly, I do not think this project would have developed in the same way without her guidance."
Embracing future horizons
Presenting to an international audience can be daunting, but Lovre drew confidence from his previous victory at the KPMG Hackathon alongside students Lucija Barić and Martina Michelle Jagar. For motivated students like Lovre, “such opportunities can transform a course assignment into meaningful scholarly work and create a strong foundation for future academic and professional achievements,” says Dr. Antičić.
The experience has entirely transformed Lovre's professional outlook, sharpening his skills in critical thinking, data analysis, and public speaking. For peers who want to follow in his footsteps but don't know where to start, Lovre offers simple advice: "Choose a topic you genuinely care about and find a mentor you trust and work well with."
