The relationships among service quality,perceived value,customer satisfaction,and post-purchase intention in mobile value-added services

The purposes of this study are to construct an instrument to evaluate service quality of mobile value-added services and have a further discussion of the relationships among service quality, perceived value, customer satisfaction, and post-purchase intention. Structural equation modeling and multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the data collected from college and graduate students of 15 major universities in Taiwan. The main findings are as follows: (1) service quality positively influences both perceived value and customer satisfaction; (2) perceived value positively influences on both customer satisfaction and post-purchase intention; (3) customer satisfaction positively influences post-purchase intention; (4) service quality has an indirect positive influence on post-purchase intention through customer satisfaction or perceived value; (5) among the dimensions of service quality, “customer service and system reliability” is most influential on perceived value and customer satisfaction, and the influence of “content quality” ranks second; (6) the proposed model is proven with the effectiveness in explaining the relationships among service quality, perceived value, customer satisfaction, and post-purchase intention in mobile added-value services.     

Comparing the effects of website quality on customer initial purchase and continued purchase at e-commerce websites

To succeed in the highly competitive e-commerce environment, it is vital to understand the impact of website quality in enhancing customer conversion and retention. Although numerous contingent website attributes have been identified in the extant website quality studies, there is no unified framework to classify these attributes and no comparison done between customer conversion and retention according to the different website quality attributes and their varying impact. This study adopts the model of Information Systems (IS) success by DeLone and McLean to provide a parsimonious and unified view of website quality, and compares the impact of website quality on intention of initial purchase with that on intention of continued purchase. With the proposed framework, we seek to understand how a company can increase customer conversion and/or retention. Our findings demonstrate the strength of our framework in explaining the impact of website quality on intention to purchase on the Web, and that website quality constructs exert different impact on intention of initial purchase and intention of continued purchase. The results suggest that an online company should focus on system quality to increase customer conversion, and on service quality for customer retention.     

Consumer perception of interface quality, security, and loyalty in electronic commerce

Customer interface quality, perceived security, and customer loyalty are critical factors for success of an e-commerce website; however, the relationships among them are not fully understood. We proposed a model for testing the relationships among them and the important outcomes of the site: switching costs and customer loyalty. Data was collected to test the model using a web-based survey, and empirical analyses were performed using SEM. The analytical results demonstrated that customer interface quality and perceived security positively affected customer satisfaction and switching costs, and thus customer loyalty to an e-commerce website. Specifically, our study showed that switching costs positively moderated the effect of customer satisfaction on customer loyalty; this moderating effect is discussed.     

Understanding of website usability: Specifying and measuring constructs and their relationships

Developing a usable website is pivotal for e-business success. Researchers have devoted effort to develop metrics, guidelines and theories of website usability, yet there still is a lack of consensus on the multifaceted dimensions of website usability and lack of investigation of the nomological networks among website usability constructs. This study first investigated the common dimensions of website usability by integrating the findings of previous studies and a focus group study with website usability experts. Instruments to measure the constructs were developed and empirically validated. Then nomological networks between website usability constructs and between those constructs and online purchase intention and purchase were examined. Three field studies including two questionnaire surveys and a causal mapping analysis were conducted. The research identified ten website usability constructs with strong psychometric properties. A number of nomological networks between usability constructs were discovered, contributing to identification of sources of variances of purchase intention and purchase behavior. Findings of this study are expected to provide useful insights for practitioners to develop more usable websites and for researchers to better assess the effect of website usability on online customer behavior.     

An Integrated Model for Customer Relationship Management: An Analysis and Empirical Study

Ensuring customer satisfaction and maintaining long‐term relationships with customers have become essential for survival among competitive service industries. The present study addresses this need by proposing a conceptually integrated four‐phase model that incorporates elements of customer relationship management (CRM) and customer satisfaction (represented by the extended American Customer Satisfaction Index model). Then, this study formulates structural equation modeling to test various research hypotheses related to the effect of the CRM initiative. An empirical study of 143 leading Taiwanese service firms distributed among seven service industries was conducted. The implementation levels of various constructs, input (customer knowledge), service provision (customer interactions), output quality, perceived quality, perceived value, perception of customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, purchasing intention, and profits of CRM are assessed in a range of service industries by means of a questionnaire survey and in‐depth interviews. The results of the empirical study reveal statistically significant influences among various constructs of the CRM integrated model. These results also represent a useful reference for managers of service organizations that could be used to improve the profitability and implementation level of CRM. The present study represents an important investigation in the development of an integrated CRM implementation system for service industries. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Service Quality and Perceived Value's Impact on Satisfaction, Intention and Usage of Short Message Service (SMS)

SMS, being an almost instantaneous communication medium that connects people, is now a phenomenon that has grown and spread around the globe at an amazing speed. Given the current trend of SMS usage and its potential growth, this paper will provide an insight of the extent to which how service quality and the value perceived by the SMS users have an impact on their extent of the SMS usage in the post SMS adoption phase. Specifically, this article will examine how service quality of the service providers and perceived value affect customer satisfaction and how customer satisfaction will affect their behavioural intention to continue to use SMS which in turn affects the extent of SMS usage in the local context. Using partial-least-squares, an analysis was conducted based on the 150 surveys collected to test for the proposed relationships. The results showed that the tangibles, empathy and assurance dimensions of service quality are antecedents of customer satisfaction and a positive relationship exists between customer satisfaction and customers' behavioural intentions to continue to use SMS. Additionally, the positive relationship between customers' behavioural intentions to continue to use SMS and the extent of SMS usage is also significant. These results were similar to the results shown by Cronin and Taylor (1992) studies. The perceived value/customer satisfaction relationship investigated in this research was in line with Fornell et al.(1996) and Cronin et al.(2000) where perceived value was one of the determinants of customer satisfaction. Specially, the results revealed that perceived value, together with tangibles, empathy and assurance aspects of the service quality, played an important role in determining customer satisfaction for SMS. Implications of the above results for research and practice are discussed.     

Building presence in an online shopping website: the role of website quality

This study explores how sellers’ website quality influences buyers’ perceived presence, which in turn affects website identification and purchase intention. The results of a conceptual model, with data collected from TaoBao, demonstrate that information and service quality are positively related to social presence, and system and service quality are positively related to telepresence. Furthermore, information and service quality increase website identification, but system quality does not. Finally, social presence positively affects website identification and purchase intention, while telepresence only positively affects website identification. These results bridge the research gap about the formation of presence in an online shopping context.     

Determinants of repurchase intention in online group-buying: The perspectives of DeLone & McLean IS success model and trust

The purpose of this study is to propose a theoretical model to examine the antecedents of repurchase intention in online group-buying by integrating the perspective of DeLone & McLean IS success model and the literature of trust. The model was tested using the data collected from 253 customers of a group-buying website in Taiwan. The results show that satisfaction with website, satisfaction with sellers, and perceived quality of website have positive influences on repurchase intention, while perceived quality of website and perceived quality of sellers have significant impacts on satisfaction with website and satisfaction with sellers, respectively. The results also show that trust in website has positive influences on perceived quality of website and satisfaction with website, whereas trust in sellers influence perceived quality of sellers and satisfaction with sellers significantly. Finally, the results show that perceived size of website has positive influence on trust in website, while reputation of website and reputation of sellers significantly affect trust in website and trust in sellers, respectively. The implications for theory and practice and suggestions for future research are also discussed.     

The relationship between perceived e-service quality and brand equity: A simultaneous equations system approach

Using the data collected from the online banking users in Taiwan, we build a hierarchical model of e-banking service quality and investigate the relationships among e-service quality, trust, satisfaction, loyalty, and brand equity. Moreover, the simultaneous equations system approach is also applied to transfer the traditional satisfaction-loyalty path into the simultaneous relationships between trust and loyalty, and between satisfaction and loyalty. As the structural form coefficients demonstrate the direct relations between our research constructs, the reduced form estimates further disclose the total impacts of the quality of e-banking service on trust, satisfaction, loyalty, and brand equity, respectively. The results indicate that the perceived quality formed through interaction with an online banking service positively affects customer trust and satisfaction, which in turn influence loyalty and brand equity. The significant simultaneous relationships between trust and loyalty, and between satisfaction and loyalty, are confirmed by our data, implying that these relationships must be determined simultaneously, rather than sequentially.     

Integrating perceived playfulness into expectation-confirmation model for web portal context

This paper investigated the value of including “playfulness” in expectation-confirmation theory (ECT) when studying continued use of a web site. Original models examined cognitive beliefs and effects that influence a person’s intention to continue to use an information system. Here, an extended ECT model (with an additional relationship between perceived playfulness and satisfaction) was shown to provide a better fit than a simple path from perceived usefulness to satisfaction. The results indicated that perceived playfulness, confirmation to satisfaction, and perceived usefulness all contributed significantly to the users’ intent to reuse a web site. Thus, we believe that the extended ECT model is an appropriate tool for the study of web site effects.     

Toward an Integrated Decision-Making Model for Consumer Electronic

The study proposes an integrated comprehensive consumer decision-making model by extending the customer value, satisfaction, and loyalty framework to include customer experience as an antecedent to creating value and enhancing satisfaction toward technology continuance intention. Our study incorporates perspectives from information systems (IS) and service marketing, where customer value (hedonic and utilitarian) theory and literature on customer experience with perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness as its dimensions are found to be drivers of technology continuance intention for consumer electronics. In addition, partial least squares results from 370 smartphone users indicate that within consumer electronics, price negatively moderates the relationship between utilitarian value and satisfaction but not with hedonic value and satisfaction. Contributions of findings and implications are discussed to provide references for consumer electronic firms in IS and service marketing.     

Moderating effects of time pressure on the relationship between perceived value and purchase intention in social E-commerce sales promotion: Considering the impact of product involvement

How does customer perceived value influence purchase intention in online flash sales on social e-commerce platforms? This study investigates the role of time pressure and product involvement in the relationship between perceived value and purchase intention. Drawing on survey data from wjx.com in China, we found that perceived value is positively related to purchase intention, whereas time pressure negatively moderates the effect of emotional/social value on purchase intention. The three-way interaction among time pressure, perceived functional/emotional/social value, and product involvement was also statistically significant. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these results.     

From virtual community members to C2C e-commerce buyers: Trust in virtual communities and its effect on consumers’ purchase intention

In China, major C2C websites are focusing on increasing their customer bases by converting members of their virtual communities (VCs) into C2C buyers and sellers. This phenomenon is called e-commerce based on social networks (ENS). The current research analyzes what factors affect trust building among VC members and how this trust influences the trust in the C2C website or vendor. We propose and empirically test a model of trust in VCs based on the trust formation mechanism. Using data collected from Taobao Virtual Community, we show that familiarity, perceived similarity, structural assurance, and trust propensity are important antecedents to trust in members in VCs. Analyses of the two kinds of trust show that trust in members’ ability significantly affects three dimensions of trust in the vendor/website in terms of ability, integrity, and benevolence. In addition, trust in members’ integrity and benevolence stimulates the purchase intention and trust in the vendor/website’s ability positively affects the intention to get information and the purchase intention.     

Repurchase intention in B2C e-commerce—A relationship quality perspective

Information systems professionals must pay attention to online customer retention. Drawing on the relationship marketing literature, we formulated and tested a model to explain B2C user repurchase intention from the perspective of relationship quality. The model was empirically tested through a survey conducted in Northern Ireland. Results showed that online relationship quality and perceived website usability positively impacted customer repurchase intention. Moreover, online relationship quality was positively influenced by perceived vendor expertise in order fulfillment, perceived vendor reputation, and perceived website usability, whereas distrust in vendor behavior negatively influenced online relationship quality. Implications of these findings are discussed.     

Understanding online customer repurchasing intention and the mediating role of trust – an empirical investigation in two developed countries

Although e-commerce adoption and customers’ initial purchasing behavior have been well studied in the literature, repeat purchase intention and its antecedents remain understudied. This study proposes a model to understand the extent to which trust mediates the effects of vendor-specific factors on customers’ intention to repurchase from an online vendor. The model was tested and validated in two different country settings. We found that trust fully mediates the relationships between perceived reputation, perceived capability of order fulfillment, and repurchasing intention, and partially mediates the relationship between perceived website quality and repurchasing intention in both countries. Moreover, multi-group analysis reveals no significant between-country differences of the model with regards to the antecedents and outcomes of trust, except the effect of reputation on trust. Academic and practical implications and future research are discussed.     

Understanding consumers’ continuance intention towards mobile purchase: A theoretical framework and empirical study – A case of China

Although mobile purchase is convenient in the age of mobile commerce, many consumers still do not utilize mobile purchase to its full potential. From the mobile vendor’s perspective, retaining current customers and facilitating their continued purchase are crucial to create profitability and achieve a sustainable development. An understanding of the continuance intention towards mobile purchase can provide insights into mobile vendors’ marketing campaigns. Therefore, it is important to examine the determinants that impact continuance intentions of consumers for mobile purchase. Drawing upon information success model, flow theory and trust, this study proposed and empirically tested an integrated model to better understand the determinants of consumers’ continued intention to purchase on mobile sites. Empirical data from 462 users who had experience with mobile purchase were tested against the proposed research model by using structural equation modelling (SEM). The results indicated that information quality, and privacy and security concerns are the main factors affecting trust, whereas service quality is the main factor affecting flow. System quality, and privacy and security concerns affect satisfaction. Trust affects flow, which in turn affects satisfaction. These three factors together affect continued intention towards mobile purchase. The findings of this study provide several important implications for mobile commerce research and practice.     

Stage antecedents of consumer online buying behavior

Unlike previous research which adopts simultaneous measures to examine customers’ satisfaction with the entire online shopping experience, this study examines two important stages of online buying behavior: ordering and fulfillment. The explicit consideration of the two stages acknowledges the fact that in an online environment, the two stages are distinct and there is a delay between the time a customer makes an order and the time he receives delivery of the merchandise. Examined are the antecedents and consequences of customer satisfaction in different stages of the online buying process based on the expectation–confirmation model (ECM). Results indicate that the customers’ satisfaction with the ordering process and the fulfillment process, and the perceived usefulness of the website contribute significantly to their intention to continue using a business-to-consumer (B2C) website. It is also shown that the customers’ perceived usefulness affects their satisfaction only with the ordering process but not with the fulfillment process. Implications and limitations are discussed.     

Continual use of microblogs

Some studies show that the Twitter's growth is leveling off and that its marketing has become ineffective. The purpose of this paper is to analyse what is needed for microblogs’ perpetuation. Factors such as message quality, source credibility, perceived usefulness, perceived interactivity, perceived playfulness, confirmation, and satisfaction were tested for their impact on continuance intention. A post-acceptance model of microblog continuance was proposed based on information system continuance model. We found that continuance intention to use microblogs is greatly affected by satisfaction, which in turn is affected by perceived interactivity and perceived usefulness, but satisfaction is not affected by confirmation or perceived playfulness. Although confirmation has no direct effect on satisfaction, it affects perceived interactivity and perceived usefulness, which in turn affect satisfaction.     

Predicting the adoption of mobile financial services: The impacts of perceived mobility and personal habit

Mobile financial services (MFS) have become a critical issue in the financial sectors. An expanding application of mobile commerce, MFS play an important role in managing customer relationships. Thus, we proposed a model that incorporates three external variables—perceived enjoyment, perceived mobility, and personal habit—into the technology acceptance model (TAM) to assess the antecedents that influence continued usage intention in MFS. In addition, we examined the moderating effect of gender on customer relationships. Structural equation modeling was used, and 368 MFS users were investigated. The findings revealed that perceived mobility, personal habit, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use are the major antecedents that influence continued usage intention in MFS. However, perceived enjoyment is not significantly associated with intention. Moreover, gender moderates the relationships between the variables in the proposed model. Perceived mobility affecting usage intention will be stronger for men than for women, whereas personal habit affecting usage intention will be stronger for women than for men.     

A study of virtual product consumption from the expectancy disconfirmation and symbolic consumption perspectives

Researchers have not specifically considered the determinants of satisfaction and repurchase intention with regard to virtual products. Using the expectancy disconfirmation model and symbolic consumption theory, this study presents and empirically examines a model of customer satisfaction and repurchase intention in this context. Using structural equation modeling to analyze the data collected from 477 consumers of virtual products, this study validates the influence of perceived customization and perceived sociability on customer satisfaction and repurchase intention with regard to virtual products. Additionally, this study statistically confirms the important mediating roles of outcome expectations and perceived quality in the indirect effects of perceived customization and perceived sociability on customer satisfaction. This study also verifies that customer satisfaction is a critical mediator of the indirect influence of the other four constructs in the proposed model on the consumers’ repurchase intention with regard to virtual products.