Perceptions of Customer Service, Information Privacy, and Product Quality From Semiotic Design Features in an Online Web Store

Abstract

The rise of the World Wide Web for electronic commerce has led to a proliferation of companies selling products online. The global nature of the Internet allows customers to browse the products of companies with which they are wholly unfamiliar. However, concerns about customer service, information privacy, and product quality discourage purchasing from unknown companies. In this article, the effects of semiotic Web design features on expectations of these performance criteria in a purchase situation are investigated. Specifically, the presence and prominence of links to customer service and a site privacy policy, and the existence of product ratings and customer testimonials, were tested to measure their effects on customer perceptions and expectations. Results indicate that some design features have a strong semiotic effect on customer expectations. Prominent links to customer service and a site privacy policy significantly increased expectations of customer service and privacy protection. The presence of product ratings increased perceptions of product quality. All 3 design features led to increased likelihood of purchase. Furthermore, participants were not aware of these effects and reported not considering product ratings in their decisions. Implications of these results on Web site design and consumer behavior are discussed.