Profiling Retail Web Site Functionalities and Conversion Rates: A Cluster Analysis

Customer service quality for online shopping: Evidence from Dangdang.com

ABSTRACTFirms' Web sites are becoming an increasingly important component of their customer service systems. Yet there is a dearth of research‐based insights and guidelines concerning the roles, functionalities, and effective design of Web sites. In this article we describe and discuss findings from a three‐phase, multimethod research study aimed at filling this literature void. We first propose and validate a descriptive taxonomy of customer needs amenable to online fulfillment. Complementing this taxonomy, we next propose, and offer preliminary validation of, a five‐stage conceptual model for understanding and predicting the development of a firm's Web site design and functionality. Findings from our study suggest that firms' Web sites are by and large in the early stages of development with respect to their ultimate potential, but that executives in leading service firms have begun to conceptualize and plan for subsequent stages. We conclude the article with managerial implications and important avenues for further research.

PurposeIn an era of burgeoning activity in online retail in India, the role of web-store design is paramount. Web-store design elements such as website functionality, brand assortment and product quality are expected to generate customer loyalty.Design/methodology/approachUsing data collected from 553 students from two universities in north India, the present study investigates the indirect effect of web-store dimensions (through website functionality, brand assortment and product quality) on online store loyalty via an enjoyment state (flow) and customer satisfaction. Serial mediation has been analysed through PROCESS macro developed by Hayes version 3.0. In addition to this, the moderating role of gender and purchase frequency has also been investigated.FindingsThe present study renders support to serial mediation between website functionality, flow, customer satisfaction and loyalty. However, the path between brand assortment and loyalty is more strongly mediated by customer satisfaction only. Males experience less flow as compared to females while handling brand assortment on websites. The three-way interaction between brand assortment, gender and purchase frequency is also statistically significant.Originality/valueThe study examines the manner in which online retailers can choose to build customer loyalty when they try to build retail image using web store functionality and /or product/brand assortments. The study offers insights to retailers about how and when to focus on hedonism versus customer satisfaction or both of them in conjunction to enhance customer loyalty. This study is important as it investigates the relationships in Indian scenario witnessing a high rate of growth in online retail which can tremendously affect these relationships.

Impact of Web Site Functions on E-Business Success in Chinese Wholesale and Retail Industries

A growing body of research has emerged related to the online shopping. In this study, the current literature related to media factors that influence online shopping behavior is extensively surveyed by identifying key dimensions. Four dimensions of the online shopping channel, including informativeness, convenience, customer service, and experiential uniqueness, are proposed based on the literature review and expert judgments. In addition, these key dimensions are discussed in the context of the established traditional channel literature; and the relationships between the traditional channel behavior and online shopping behavior are discussed. This research would help investigators to compare and contrast the developments in online shopping literature and the more established traditional shopping channel literature. The potential directions of future research on online shopping are addressed too.

PurposeTo measure, classify and compare web site functions' development.Design/methodology/approachThe objectives were achieved by developing a methodology to measure, classify and compare web site functions development. The measurement was based on the presence (or absence) of 91 web site components. The classification was achieved using an applied correspondence analysis. The comparison was performed with respect to 4,485 company web sites from two provinces in Canada. A formal procedure involving 50 assistants was developed to collect data over 5,000 sites within a month period and a conceptual model was developed to interpret results.FindingsFindings show that web site functions development could be described on a three dimensional space, the three axes corresponding to directions of development. The development status of the whole sample appeared as a cone in which five classes (or categories) of web sites could be identified and described with respect to their development profile. The development of 18 web site functions was also benchmarked with respect to observations within a class and with respect to some other characteristics like the industrial sector and the province where the company was located.Research limitations/implicationsWeb site functions development was evaluated only with respect to components accessible to the general public. Development of intranet and extranet were not evaluated and hence taken into account for overall web sites development.Practical implicationsThis research project of web site functions development was part of a more comprehensive project aimed at evaluating and documenting the impact of using a web site on business processes. So, combining the results of the two projects, allowed the authors to advance suggestions of how web sites should be developed to generate value for companies.Originality/valueThe approach to web site functions development evaluation is original. The methodology could be replicated anytime. The typology that emerged from the analysis is unique. Moreover, given the large sample of 4,485 web sites, results are statistically valid.

Introduction Improving customer trust in an internet store is an important goal in B2C electronic commerce because it leads to outcomes important for the success of an Internet store, such as reduced customer risk perceptions in transacting with the store and increased willingness to buy from the store. Therefore, one of the critical success factors for Internet stores is to convince customers of the store's trustworthiness, which refers to a set of customers' beliefs regarding the ability, integrity, and benevolence of the online merchant. One mechanism by which such perceptions of trustworthiness on the part of stores can be established is to provide trust assurances on a store's Web site. Trust assurance refers to "a claim and its supporting statements used in an Internet store to address trust-related concerns." An example of trust assurance statements found in internet stores is: We are so confident in our security that we guarantee you'll pay nothing if unauthorized charges are made to your credit card as a result of shopping at circuitcity.com." (Excerpted from a checkout page of www.circuitcity.com) Trust assurances can be provided by an Internet store itself, by customers, or by a third party organization. For example, Simplycheap.com, shown in Figure 1, displays both a store's self-proclaimed assurance (such as "safe shopping our security guarantee") and a third-party assurance (such as Hacker Safe). In this article, we first review finding in previous studies regarding trust assurance. Then we provide a snapshot regarding how often Internet stores use trust assurances and what concerns are addressed in such trust assurances by reporting current usage of trust assurances based on observations of 85 Internet stores. We expect that this snapshot will help business managers to understand how other companies use trust assurances. Second, we suggest two design guidelines for effective implementation of trust assurances for Web developers. Before reporting our findings based on observations from 85 Internet stores, we briefly review the findings of several previous studies regarding trust assurances. First, many studies have reported that displaying trust assurances increases the trustworthiness of an Internet store. A store's own assurance enhances the trustworthiness of an Internet store if they are well-structured. Third-party assurances (or trustmarks), such as TRUSTe and BBBOnLine seals positively influence the favorableness of a store's privacy policies, and are more influential in improving a firm's trustworthiness than a rating by Consumer Reports magazine is. Among third-party assurances, the WebTrust seal appeared to be more influential than BBBOnLine when people chose a vendor. Interestingly, third-party assurances were not considered as important as "security features," such as SET (Secure Electronic Transaction), SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), and a lock symbol, in customer's decisions to buy on the World Wide Web. Second, detailed design/ usability guidelines for building a Web site are already available. For example, best practices in Interaction Design can be accessed at van Welie's Web site (http://www.welie.com/patterns/). In respect to specific implementations of trust assurances, ease of access to assurances was suggested as one of several design considerations. For example, van Duyne et al. suggested that Internet stores needed to make their privacy policy available on each of their Web pages. The finding that only 54% of licensees of the top 500 Internet consumer Web sites display their privacy seal of approval information on both their home and privacy pages indicates that the other 46% has room to improve their customers' ease of access to trust assurances. In this study, based on van Duyne et al. we examine ease of access to trust assurances. In addition, we examine the application of ease of return to the original checkout screen that customer was working on before accessing trust assurances which is important for customers to easily complete the checkout process. These two implementation issues (for example, ease of access and ease of return) are examined in the assurance delivery modes section.

ABSTRACTWe examine the impact of three classes of Web site functions (foundational, customer‐centered, and value‐added) upon e‐retailer performance. Using secondary panel data for 2007–2009 on operating characteristics of over 600 e‐retailers, our econometric analysis finds that only the value‐added service functions are positively associated with changes in e‐retail sales revenues across time. We also observe a decreasing marginal impact of deploying additional value‐added service features. To account for possible alternate explanations, we control for firm‐ and time‐specific fixed effects, merchant types, merchandise categories, and order fulfillment strategies. By further decomposing e‐retail sales revenues into Web site traffic, conversion rate, and average order value, we find that Web site functions affect e‐retail sales revenues mainly through their impact on Web site traffic. Our investigation demonstrates the empirical research usefulness of the Voss conceptual e‐service sand cone model. Our results identify for managers where to focus ongoing e‐retailing system development efforts, yet suggest that focusing too many retailing capabilities on exploratory and experimental value‐added service features may backfire, potentially leading to worsening e‐retailer performance.

The Internet has become a growing channel for consumer purchases. Half of all U.S. consumers made at least one purchase on-line in 2001. However, many consumers report frustration with the lack of support for navigation within many Internet retailers' web sites. Several design patterns have been suggested to overcome these limitations, such as expanded hierarchies and breadcrumbs. This study investigated the effects of these design patterns on users' quantitative performance and subjective preference for ecommerce web sites. Expanded hierarchies, a design pattern that is commonly used by many retail web sites, degraded all of the performance metrics assessed in the study. Users required more time, made more errors, used more clicks, and had lower satisfaction scores for sites designed with expanded hierarchies. The results for breadcrumbs suggest that they may improve performance. The inclusion of breadcrumbs reduced the number of clicks required by users to complete the tasks, but other performance metrics did not reach statistical significance. The results indicate that design patterns that are believed to improve performance a priori may not yield the results expected.

Purpose – This study aims to theorize and empirically examine the relationship between “purchase intention and conversion rate”, “website satisfaction and conversion rate” and “purchase intention and conversion rate”. E-Commerce conversion rate represents the percentage of visits to an e-tailer’s website that includes a purchase transaction. Despite the importance of conversion rates for e-tailers, prior research predominantly used purchase intention and website satisfaction as main dependent variables and implicitly assumed that these variables will influence the actual purchase. Design/methodology/approach – Data on 85 US retail websites were used to test the hypotheses. The unit of the analysis is the online retail website. Regression analysis was used to perform the data analysis. Findings – The results indicate that both purchase intention and website satisfaction positively influence conversion rates. It was also found that website satisfaction positively influences purchase intention. Research limitations/implications – Only data from 85 US e-tailers from the top-100 US online retailers are used to test the hypotheses. Also, conversion rate is only one of the several important success metrics used by e-tailers. Originality/value – This study not only examines antecedents of e-commerce conversion rates, but also theorizes and tests if there is a statistically significant relationship between “purchase intention and conversion rate” and “website satisfaction and conversion rate”. This is because, although previous studies used purchase intention and website satisfaction as main dependent variables and proxies for actual purchase behavior, they did not validate this relationship. This study shows that: there is a statistically significant relationship between “purchase intention and conversion rate” and “website satisfaction and conversion rate”, there is also a statistically significant relationship between “website satisfaction and purchase intention” and this study used firm-level data to theorize, measure and analyze the data, whereas prior literature used only individual-level data.

This paper proposes a model to estimate economic losses attributable to front-end complexity and web performance debt in web applications. Technical debt consequences arising from excessive JavaScript execution, deep DOM hierarchies, and high HTTP request volumes were examined. These factors degrade web performance, reduce user engagement and conversion rates, and ultimately diminish revenue. Using an analytical modelling approach, correlations were established between front-end complexity metrics, including JavaScript bundle size, DOM depth, and HTTP request volume, and web performance indicators, specifically Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) and Interaction to Next Paint (INP). Revenue and conversion losses were modeled as nonlinear functions of latency, incorporating margins, control intensity, and threshold effects to represent realistic performance-revenue relationships. The empirical evaluation relied on a three-layered dataset combining real-world performance metrics from Lighthouse with synthetic datasets modeling optimized (best case), typical (baseline), and high-complexity (worst case) front-end scenarios. The results confirmed that increased front-end complexity and performance debt correlate with deteriorated latency and interactivity, leading to substantial conversion and revenue losses. Marginal and threshold analyses revealed nonlinear effects: at lower complexity levels, performance improvements yield higher financial returns, whereas at higher complexity levels, optimisation produces diminishing marginal returns. These findings demonstrate that front-end performance optimisation is an economic imperative rather than a technical consideration. Effective management of front-end complexity reduces performance debt and revenue erosion, providing a framework for engineering decisions and investment strategies in performance-critical environments. This approach transforms performance management into a strategic economic decision, enabling investment optimisation through direct correlation with business outcomes.

The purpose of this research is to understand and analyze the role of perceived usability and perceived usefulness influencing customer satisfaction towards online shopping in India. Findings of the study reveal that website functionality has a significant and positive impact on perceived usability. Additionally, perceived usefulness and perceived usability has a positive impact on customer satisfaction. The scale has been extended to include satisfaction with the ‘Cash-on-delivery’ mode of payment being adopted by Asian countries. This paper builds a foundation for researchers to extend online retailing research in developing countries where the switch over to Internet shopping is more of a recent phenomenon as compared to its adoption by developed countries.

Do online shops support customers’ decision strategies by interactive information management tools? Results of an empirical analysis

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into individual's online shopping continuance intention. The research uses the Expectation Confirmation Theory and Technology Acceptance Model as theoretical foundations to develop a model to achieve this aim.Design/methodology/approach– The research uses a cross-sectional survey research design approach. An online marketplace web site that connects buyers and sellers in Malaysia serves as the research context. Data were collected using convenience approach.Findings– Results suggest satisfaction contributes to individual online shopping continuance intention. Consistent with extant research, perceived usefulness of web site links to online shopping continuance intention. Contrary to past findings, perceived ease of web site use does not directly contribute to online shopping continuance intention. Individual's price-oriented lifestyle, perceived ease of web site use and usefulness contributed to individual's satisfaction with online shopping experience. People with time-oriented, net-oriented and price-oriented lifestyles and preference for a web site contribute to perceived ease of web site use. Extraverts have online shopping intention while emotional stability moderates the relationship between perceived usefulness of web site and satisfaction in online shopping.Originality/value– Findings aid web service provider and internet retailers when explaining individual continuance intention of online shopping. This research advances understanding of the role of satisfaction, perceived ease of web site use and perceived web site usefulness regarding online shopping continuance intention. The research also sheds light on individual attributes as contributors to online shopping experience, continuance and perceptions of web site.

National Center on Health, Physical Activity, and Disability Web Site The National Center on Health, Physical Activity, and Disability has a mission to improve health behaviors and weight management for children and adults with disabilities. The Web site (www.ncpad.org) is supported by a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and managed by the University of Alabama and Lakeshore Foundation Research Collaborative. The majority of the Web site is focused on providing information related to exercise, physical activity, and nutrition, specifically for individuals with various chronic health conditions and disability levels, who may have difficulty participating in traditional exercise programs. The home page contains links to numerous articles with diagnosis-specific advice for increasing participation in exercise, wellness, and improving nutrition. A wide range of both mental and physical health conditions are covered in the articles, from arthritis and autism, to spinal cord and brain injuries. Links are also provided for articles about community physical activity program development and competitive sports. For those less familiar with exercise, a fact sheet describing various exercise techniques and methods such as aquatic therapy and tai chi is also available. On the home page, individuals will also find links to an adaptive fitness program that includes both aerobic and resistive exercise. The program has 3 levels, and has been adapted to accommodate a multitude of functional abilities. The three levels target individuals who have the use of all four limbs, individuals who have the use of upper body including some core muscles, and individuals with a limited use of upper body and core muscles. This exercise program is updated weekly with new exercises, although it is currently unclear who actually develops the exercise program. The weekly program relies on the use of standard fitness equipment. For those who do not have access to the necessary equipment, links are available to a 14-week program that is customized on the basis of responses to questions concerning physical ability and available equipment. While the Web site is a wealth of information with many good articles and fitness programs, it is sometimes both troublesome to navigate and difficult to find specific content. For example, under Articles, there is a long list subheadings with a number of redundancies, including Spinal Cord Injury, Paraplegia, Quadriplegia, and Tetraplegia. Furthermore, the system for allocating articles between these categories is not clear. The design of the Web site is also text-heavy, requiring a large amount of time and scrolling to find specific content. In addition, it appears that the online shop where books and DVDs focused on exercise for those with various diagnoses were previously available for purchase is now closed due to “administrative reasons.” There is no current indication whether or when these items will be available for purchase. It is also unclear how often the Web site is updated. The articles posted on the Web site span 13 years, with publication dates from 2001 to 2013, but it is unclear whether older articles are removed as newer information becomes available. The Web site was updated in 2013 (no specific date provided). In summary, this Web site is most likely to be beneficial for people with disability who are looking for information about exercise and a specific diagnosis or those who wish to use the customized exercise plans. Given the time-consuming nature of finding information on the site, it may be a beneficial but frustrating site for individuals to visit. (Last accessed March 7, 2013). Odessa Addison PT, DPT University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah American Association on Health and Disability Web Site The American Association on Health and Disability (AAHD) has a Web site designed to improve awareness of chronic health conditions and promote wellness for people with chronic disease and disability (http://www.aahd.us/). Membership is available to interested individuals for a fee and includes a subscription to the Disability and Health Journal, access to a listserve containing the latest research and policy information, and a quarterly newsletter. Membership fees are also used to support efforts on Capitol Hill for individuals with chronic disability, through education and promotion of public health initiatives to members of Congress and the public. In addition to the fee-based services, there are a number of free resources on the Web site. Current evidence is presented for a number of topics, with dates ranging from 1997 to 2012. Abstracts are available on 32 different chronic health conditions as well as best practice guidelines for 29 topics, such as assistive technology, healthcare transition, and obesity. This section is easy to navigate and provides valuable guidelines, educational information, and evidence on health promotion and quality of life for those with chronic health conditions. There is also a “News” section, which provides links to numerous recent media articles from 2012 to 2013 about a wide variety of topics. The “News” section is separated by week and is easily navigable by the user to search and find links of interest. There are also links to Webinars from 2011 to 2013 that have been presented on various disability-related topics. This section has topics ranging from health care reform to disease prevention and is a good educational resource for clinicians, educators, and people with chronic health conditions. The AAHD is involved in a number of different initiatives as well as public policy. The Web site provides valuable information for members and prospective members who may be interested in knowing what their membership fees are helping to support. The Public Policy Center outlines the legislative agenda for the AAHD and provides links to contact members of Congress. The “Initiatives” section provides a number of useful links, including resources for emergency preparedness for individuals with chronic health conditions. Another valuable tool on this Web site is the “Site-Wide Disability Research Tags” section. This section has links to information about many conditions and topics related to health promotion. For example, if an individual wanted to learn more about diabetes, a click on the “Diabetes” tab would results in 4 pages of links, including abstracts, best practice guidelines, and news articles on different aspects of diabetes. This is a beneficial resource for individuals who may be visiting this Web site, seeking information about a specific topic. Overall, this Web site provides valuable, accurate, and current information related to chronic health conditions that may be useful to clinicians, educators, caregivers, and individuals with chronic disease and disability. The Web site is easy to navigate and is set up in an intuitive manner. Some of the resources (eg, Best Practice, Fact Sheets, Abstracts) do not appear to have been updated recently, and there is no indication on the Web site of how frequently information is updated. (Last accessed February 28, 2013) Brady Whetten, DPT Northwest Rehabilitation Associates Salem, Oregon Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—Disability and Health Web Site The Disabilities and Health subpage (www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth) of the Web site of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is jointly sponsored by the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. If one were not to remember the entire name, then a broader search should begin with cdc.gov and this subpage can be easily accessible under multiple categories, such as healthy living and/or disabilities. This page is primarily a springboard to multiple other Web pages providing deeper resources for people with disability, clinicians, caregivers, students, teachers, and researchers. The intent of the page is to provide information to various stakeholders on disabilities and health and healthy living with a disability. The following topics can be accessed: (1) healthy living for individuals with disabilities, (2) basics (types of disabilities), (3) data and statistics on disabilities, (4) scientific articles, (5) emergency preparedness, (6) resources and materials, (7) partners and programs, (8) about the CDC, (9) information for you (people with disabilities, women, health care providers, family caregivers, and partners), (10) disability and obesity, and (11) personal stories. The CDC Disability and Health page is a great beginning resource to launch a search for information about disabilities and health. This Web page was last updated on January 30, 2013. However, since its purpose is to provide links to other pages, one needs to look at the content update for the pages beyond. For example, clicking on “data and statistics” takes the user to a page that was last updated on December 16, 2011, and the graphs represent data from 2008. Despite some pages that have not been updated recently, browsing through further links on the data and statistics page provides access to graphs and statistics that are easily customizable for topics and states, which would be good for teachers and researchers. The Web site has numerous resources and links, and the interface is relatively easy to navigate. For example, accessing “scientific articles” leads you to a list of articles that have been published in varying journals by CDC authors within the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. Many of the articles allow access to full text. The “Basics” link on types of disabilities leads the user to further links on defining disabilities and provides a simple explanation of World Health Organization, the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health model that may be helpful for students. The link to “personal stories” and “resources and materials” provide excellent videos of individuals with disabilities and is definitely worth a look and is a potentially valuable resource for teachers, students, and clinicians. While the sheer number of potential links from the main page makes the Web site a valuable resource, it may be easy for the user to forget how they arrived at a specific link. This makes it difficult to find that link again unless it has been bookmarked. The Web site was accessed and functional across platforms and browsers. In addition, the content was also available in Spanish. In sum, the Web site has value for physical therapists in all practice areas (clinicians, instructors, students, and researchers) as a way to access to an array of additional resources on healthy living and disability. Clinicians may find the Web site beneficial to share with patients or clients to help them with concerns about healthy living with a disability. (Last accessed February 27, 2013). Heather Hayes, DPT, NCS University of Utah Salt Lake City, Utah Helpguide.org—Exercise and Fitness Help Guide Helpguide.org is an online resource that aims to support better mental health and lifestyle choices by empowering readers with trustworthy information and encouragement. The Web site (www.helpguide.org/topics/exercise.htm) was founded in 1999 by Jeanne Segal, PhD, and Robert Segal, MA, and is funded entirely by charitable contributions. Dr Segal is an experienced psychotherapist and has authored several books on emotional intelligence, health, and wellness. Helpguide.org covers numerous topics in the areas of mental health, healthy lifestyles, children and family, and seniors and aging. This review focuses on one topic under healthy lifestyles: Exercise and Fitness. Four main pages address the topic. Three of these follow a similar format, listing many ways in which exercise enhances mental and physical health, discussing several commonly perceived barriers to exercise, and offering suggestions for incorporating exercise into daily life. The “Easy Exercise Tips” page contains broadly applicable information, targeted to the general public. Under “Senior Exercise and Fitness Tips,” exercise is promoted as a key contributor to healthy aging and a feasible way to lessen the impact of illness and chronic health conditions. The page titled “Chair Exercises and Limited Mobility Fitness Tips” discusses many issues encountered by people with disabilities and other medical conditions, including safety concerns, mental and emotional barriers, and practical aspects of adapted exercise. Readers are directed to consult with their doctor or physical therapist for suitable exercise options. A separate page, titled “How to Practice Yoga and Tai Chi,” provides an introductory description of each method and recommends that beginners learn from a qualified instructor. Helpguide.org also includes an educational supplement titled “Creating Your Personal Exercise Plan” through collaboration with Harvard Health Publications. This resource offers more detailed, scientifically supported guidelines regarding aerobic exercise, strength training, balance, flexibility, and relaxation. After learning the components of exercise and considering their individual circumstances, readers are encouraged to develop a personalized program for themselves. Each page on Helpguide.org includes a collection of links to resources and references. Many of these contain specific exercise instructions and multimedia tools, which may facilitate implementation more readily than textual articles. For example, the National Center on Health, Physical Activity, and Disability (www.ncpad.org/content/61/Video) Web site and the National Institutes of Health Senior Health Web site (www.nihseniorhealth.gov) provide instructions, photos, and videos demonstrating many common exercises for various diagnoses. Overall, the Exercise and Fitness topic of Helpguide.org is motivational, easy for consumers to read and understand, and generally contains accurate information based on current fitness guidelines. Content related to specific health conditions is minimal, however, thus offering limited usefulness for physical therapy professionals. Each page consists of well-formatted text, a few photos, and links that allow easy navigation between pages. When the site was last accessed on March 5, 2013, all links were working. The most recent updates were in December 2012. Although there were no audio, video, or interactive features, there were links to an active Facebook page and a Twitter account. (Last accessed March 5, 2013) Stacey L. DeJong, PT, PhD, PCS University of Kansas Medical Center Kansas City, Kansas