Critical review of the e-loyalty literature: a purchase-centred framework

Over the last few years, the concept of online loyalty has been examined extensively in the literature, and it remains a topic of constant inquiry for both academics and marketing managers. The tremendous development of the Internet for both marketing and e-commerce settings, in conjunction with the growing desire of consumers to purchase online, has promoted two main outcomes: (a) increasing numbers of Business-to-Customer companies running businesses online and (b) the development of a variety of different e-loyalty research models. However, current research lacks a systematic review of the literature that provides a general conceptual framework on e-loyalty, which would help managers to understand their customers better, to take advantage of industry-related factors, and to improve their service quality. The present study is an attempt to critically synthesize results from multiple empirical studies on e-loyalty. Our findings illustrate that 62 instruments for measuring e-loyalty are currently in use, influenced predominantly by Zeithaml et al. (J Marketing. 1996;60(2):31-46) and Oliver (1997; Satisfaction: a behavioral perspective on the consumer. New York: McGraw Hill). Additionally, we propose a new general conceptual framework, which leads to antecedents dividing e-loyalty on the basis of the action of purchase into pre-purchase, during-purchase and after-purchase factors. To conclude, a number of managerial implementations are suggested in order to help marketing managers increase their customers’ e-loyalty by making crucial changes in each purchase stage

The mediating effect of e-satisfaction and the moderating effect of convenience towards e-loyalty among Internet banking users in northern region of Malaysia

Research on online customer loyalty among internet banking users is important because of the threat posed by phishing and other related issues. The literature has shown that it is a major concern, especially in Malaysia. This study examines the factors influencing eLoyalty such as eSatisfaction, eCommitment, eTrust, privacy, security, website quality and convenience among the internet banking users in Malaysia. The objectives of the study are to analyse the direct effect of eSatisfaction, eCommitment, eTrust towards eLoyalty and the mediating effect of eSatisfaction between privacy, security and website quality on eLoyalty. Another objective is to observe the moderating role of convenience between eSatisfaction and eLoyalty. The underpinning theory used to develop the study’s framework is based on Oliver’s Four-Stage Loyalty Model. An intercept data collection approach was chosen due to the nature of online users as well as the industry. A total of 427 datasets was employed for final analysis, performed using SPSS and SmartPLS-SEM (Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling). The results of the analysis show that all hypotheses are supported and only one is rejected. The study has established the direct relationship between eSatisfaction, eCommitment and eTrust towards eLoyalty. In addition, the study has confirmed the mediating effect of eSatisfaction between privacy and eLoyalty, security and eLoyalty and website quality on eLoyalty. However, the moderating role of convenience was found to be not significant indicating that there is a constant effect between eSatisfaction and eLoyalty. The study also discusses the theoretical and practical contributions as well as the limitations of the study and recommendations for future research

Path Analysis of Perceived Value Influence on Shopping Satisfaction of Online Customers in the View of Mental Accounting

As a kind of psychological activity in the individuals, families or organizations, mental accounting focuses on economic activity, coding and evaluation. It is of practical significance to explore customer behavior patterns and psychological changes, and improve customer satisfaction through reasonable marketing. Online enterprises need to pay attention to the perceived value of consumers and enhance overall consumer satisfaction so as to achieve long-term and stable development under the background of economic globalization. Enterprises and organizations obtain complete and accurate personalized demand information of consumers in order to achieve a win-win situation for both consumers and enterprises. This study focuses on the influencing factors of online shopping satisfaction of consumers in the new environment of online and offline integration, and explores the path dependence and influence of online consumer perceived value and the website features of consumer satisfaction. Based on the theory of mental accounting and consumer behavior, this study combines the Howard-Sheth model with the consumer perception value theory to construct a theoretical framework. This study extends prior work by using structural equation model to test the effect of perceived value on website features, trust and customer satisfaction from the perspective of mental accounting. It is hoped that this study can provide data reference and theoretical guidance for online enterprises in marketing and knowledge management, in a bid to develop accurate marketing strategies, customer segmentation and differentiated services, improve the operation mechanism of network market and promote online services

e-RetailTest: Scale to Assess the Attitude of Consumers towards E-Commerce in the Retail Sector

Changes in consumer behavior are driven by tastes and preferences that change over time as their socioeconomic conditions change. The objective of this study was to validate the psychometric characteristics of the e-RetailTest scale, created to measure consumer attitudes towards online shopping in developing countries, particularly in the Peruvian market. The e-RetailTest evaluates five variables present in the online purchase process: (a) quality of web design, (b) risk when making a purchase, (c) customer service, (d) security and (e) satisfaction, with a total of twenty items using a Likert scale. A total of 422 valid responses were collected from Peruvian consumers who had had online shopping experience in the retail sector. Statistically, we worked with the AFE exploratory factor analysis and the AFC confirmatory factor analysis. The results suggest that this first version of the e-RetailTest presents adequate psychometric evidence to measure the attitude of consumers towards online purchases in the retail sector in the Peruvian market. Thus, it seeks to contribute to the advancement of the study of these important variables of Latin American consumer behavior

A meta-analysis of online trust : examining main and moderating effects

textThe purpose of this study was (1) to conduct a meta-analysis on the antecedents and consequences of online trust; (2) to test for seven moderating variables involving online trust; and (3) to use the pooled correlation matrix to fit the research model. The data for the meta-analytic procedure involved 120 papers reporting 150 independent studies. Results showed statistically significant relationships involving online trust and its various antecedents (e.g., perceived security) and consequences (e.g., behavioral intention). The relationships were heterogeneous across studies and the variances for the reported effect sizes were partially explained by certain methodological characteristics. The meta-analytic structural equation modeling analysis indicated that online trust mediates the effect of various antecedents on behavioral intention. A discussion of results, implications, limitations, and future research is provided.Informatio

E-Commerce: The Mantra of Urban Centers

The research done in this paper is done to analyze the effects of different variables on Customer’s loyalty in the e-commerce business. As the act of shopping is digitalized and more and more stores shift their business towards online shopping, the e-commerce industry thrives.  The intricacies of the business in the e-commerce sector depend on a plethora of variables, and we have analyzed the effects of some on each other. Much of the business in the ecommerce sector depends on the actions and preferences of the customer. That being said, the following encircles a customer’s satisfaction as the main factor, across which multiple hypothesis are made and later on proved as well using different software and research techniques. Other factors are e-commerce security and expectations. There are a number of limitations in this research that leaves some grey area for it to be explored further. These limitations are defined at the end of the research and all the enhancements are proposed as well

Comprehensive Evaluation of E-Service Quality Determinants. "Studying the Impact of these Key Quality Determinants On The Satisfaction and Loyalty of Online Jordanian Customers"

The wide use of Internet and the advancement in information and communication technologies have significantly changed the way business is conducted. Over the last decade or so online shopping tendency has increased all over the world. Hence, the purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of customer service quality, system quality, information quality, security &privacy quality, website quality, convenience quality, economic value quality and empathy quality on customer's satisfaction and loyalty "the case of online Jordanian customers". The study is based on a set of null hypotheses that hypnotizes no significance impact of these qualities on customers' satisfaction and customers' loyalty. A quantitative approach is used and relevant data was collected through structured questionnaire distributed to residents of Jordan. The relevant responses of subjects for the study consisted of 680 people. SPSS version 16 was used to for data analysis. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis.  Statistical tools were aligned with objective of the research. For this purpose, frequency tables, percentages, means and standard deviations were computed and then substantively interpreted. Inferential statistics like Pearson product moment correlation coefficient (r) and linear regression were used to determine if there is a significant positive relationship existed between the independent variables and the dependent variables. The findings indicate that customer service quality, system quality, information quality, security &privacy quality, website quality, convenience quality, economic value quality and empathy quality  were found to be  positively correlated and claimed statistically significant relationship with customers' satisfaction and customers' loyalty. Analysis and interpretations made at 0.05 level of significance. The study concluded that the impact of these variables is differentials as per customer's perceptions. Furthermore, service providers should concentrate on all e-service qualities to satisfy customers and earn their loyalty. Strict adherence well enable e-service providers to gain online competitive advantage and sustain their businesses in the virtual environment.  Keywords: E-Service Quality, Online, Customers' Satisfaction, loyalty. Jorda

An assessment of technology-based service encounters & network security on the e-health care systems of medical centers in Taiwan

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Enhancing service efficiency and quality has always been one of the most important factors to heighten competitiveness in the health care service industry. Thus, how to utilize information technology to reduce work load for staff and expeditiously improve work efficiency and healthcare service quality is presently the top priority for every healthcare institution. In this fast changing modern society, e-health care systems are currently the best possible way to achieve enhanced service efficiency and quality under the restraint of healthcare cost control. The electronic medical record system and the online appointment system are the core features in employing e-health care systems in the technology-based service encounters.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This study implemented the Service Encounters Evaluation Model, the European Customer Satisfaction Index, the Attribute Model and the Overall Affect Model for model inference. A total of 700 copies of questionnaires from two authoritative southern Taiwan medical centers providing the electronic medical record system and the online appointment system service were distributed, among which 590 valid copies were retrieved with a response rate of 84.3%. We then used SPSS 11.0 and the Linear Structural Relationship Model (LISREL 8.54) to analyze and evaluate the data.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The findings are as follows: (1) Technology-based service encounters have a positive impact on service quality, but not patient satisfaction; (2) After experiencing technology-based service encounters, the cognition of the service quality has a positive effect on patient satisfaction; and (3) Network security contributes a positive moderating effect on service quality and patient satisfaction.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>It revealed that the impact of electronic workflow (online appointment system service) on service quality was greater than electronic facilities (electronic medical record systems) in technology-based service encounters. Convenience and credibility are the most important factors of service quality in technology-based service encounters that patients demand. Due to the openness of networks, patients worry that transaction information could be intercepted; also, the credibility of the hospital involved is even a bigger concern, as patients have a strong sense of distrust. Therefore, in the operation of technology-based service encounters, along with providing network security, it is essential to build an atmosphere of psychological trust.</p

Consumer participation and the trust transference process in using online recommendation agents

Online product recommendation agents (hereafter RAs) can provide important benefits to consumers. But whether consumers trust RAs and integrate an RA\u27s recommendations into their product choices has not yet been examined. Nor has there been research on whether different levels of consumer participation in using RAs lead to different levels of trust in the RA. Using an experimental design that combined the benefits of a field study with those of a lab study, active consumer participation in using an RA was found to have increased consumers\u27 trust in the RA, which in turn increased intentions to purchase based on the RA\u27s recommendations. The study also proposed and found support for a trust transference process, hitherto not tested in the RA context, wherein trust in the website was a key driver for trust in its RA and the RA\u27s recommendations. These findings extend the extant literature on RAs as well as research in offline contexts on consumer participation and the trust transference process. Managerial implications and directions for future research are also provided

Service Quality, Customer Satisfaction and Customer Loyalty in Consumer Electronics E-Tailers: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

The E-S-QUAL and E-RecS-QUAL scales have been successfully tested in a study by Parasuraman, Zeithaml, and Malhotra (2005). However, E-S-QUAL and E-RecS­ QUAL are newly developed and lack specific application to different types of e-business. This non-experimental, correlational study is the first to examine and explore the relationships among electronic service quality, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty for consumer electronics e-tailers. Using quota and snowball sampling, participants from the continental United States received e-mail invitations and voluntarily forwarded the e-mail invitations to their friends and family. A total of 276 participants completed the online survey. This study\u27s demographic characteristics included most between the ages of 26 and 35 years (47%), mean age of 35.2, most with graduate degrees (40.6%), and with 40% earning a family income of $75,000 or more. Out of twenty hypotheses (including four sub-hypotheses for H1 and three for H2) in this study, 13 were supported, two were marginally supported, and five were not supported. Findings indicated that electronic service quality was measured by online shoppers\u27 perceptions of service quality of consumer electronic e-tailers through four dimensions of the 17-indicator modified E-S-QUAL (efficiency, system availability, fulfillment, and privacy) . Electronic recovery service quality was measured by online shoppers\u27 perceptions of recovery service quality of consumer electronic e-tailers through two dimensions of modified E-RecS-QUAL (responsiveness and contact, and compensation). Findings also indicated that perceived value and customer satisfaction were two significant variables that mediated the relationships among customer expectations, electronic service quality, customer loyalty, and customer complaints. However, this study also found that electronic service quality and customer expectations had no direct effect on customer satisfaction, but had indirect positive effects on customer satisfaction for consumer electronics e-tailers. Consumer electronics e-tailers\u27 managers could formulate plans to improve service quality and recovery service quality through dimensions of E-S-QUAL and E­ RecS-QUAL. They also could formulate a competitive strategy based on the modified Electronic Customer Satisfaction (e-CS) model to keep current customers and to enhance customer relation management. The limitations and recommendations for future research are also included in this study