From clicks to carts: Examining the role of perceived flow and customer satisfaction as mediators in social media e-commerce

Abstract

Customer satisfaction is the bedrock of e-commerce. This study identifies the factors and consequences of the perceived flow of consumers with shopping websites. The research scrutinizes the association linking purchase intentions arising from customer satisfaction, website quality and perceived flow by incorporating the model of Stimulus Organism Response. The data were collected from online shoppers using purposive sampling targeted through social media. The data from 270 respondents have been analyzed using SmartPLS incorporating the Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modeling. The assessment showed an important beneficial impact of website usability, their security, functionality, and privacy features on the perceived flow of customers. Furthermore, perceived flow has been found to affect customers’ purchase intentions as well as satisfaction, and lastly, purchase intention is induced by how satisfied customers are with their shopping experience. The findings identify how important perceived flow functions in enhancing purchase intentions and customer satisfaction online. The findings can be noteworthy for online businesses and banks to improve online shopping experience and transactions.