The role of chatbots’ human-like characteristics in online shopping

•Customers’ trust in chatbots result in their willingness to use chatbots.•Customers’ readiness characteristics, including optimism and innovativeness, have a positive influence on their trust in chatbots.•The human-like characteristics of chatbots, including empathy and social presence, have a positive influence on customers’ trust in chatbots.•Anthropomorphism of chatbots has a negative influence on customers’ trust in chatbots.•Trust mediates the effects of chatbots’ human-like characteristics and customer’ readiness characteristics on their willingness to use chatbots.