A Hybrid SEM-Neural Network Modeling of Quality of M-Commerce Services under the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The research purpose is to contribute to the understanding of the COVID-19 pandemic impact on the intensification of commercial transactions on the mobile channel (m-commerce) and to identify the most significant factors that act on consumer behavior based on the development of a conceptual model to establish the influence of m-commerce service quality on customer satisfaction and loyalty. The data were collected through a survey addressed to customers who, during 2021–2022, made at least one purchase through m-commerce. The analysis was performed with SPSS Statistics and Amos software, using a hybrid approach: Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN). The research results confirm the hypotheses presented in this study. Both models identified the quality of services offered by m-commerce, satisfaction, and trust as determining factors for increasing consumer loyalty in virtual commerce. The novelty of this study consists of an interconnected analysis model of some variables specific to mobile commerce, which have not been used in this combination in the specialized literature. This research can be the basis of other research studies. In addition, it provides valuable results for the business environment (forecasts) and customers by obtaining improved, personalized, and secure commerce services.