Trade Show Websites: An Examination of Critical Websites' Quality Factors and Content Items

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study evaluated the quality factors of trade show websites as marketing communication tools. Four factors (system quality, information quality, service quality, and relationship quality) were assessed by measuring their impact on attendees' satisfaction with the trade show website. The relationship between website content items and attendees' satisfaction was also measured. The online survey was distributed to the attendees of the World Tea Expo via email in March 2006, and 369 responses were collected in total. Multiple regression was used to find out the important variables which affect overall satisfaction. The findings supported the evidence that the four factors were related to overall user satisfaction. The data further indicated that only four content items (general information, resource center, exhibitor list, and online registration) were important statistically. In this study, gender difference was also found to affect the satisfaction on website quality factors and content items. These findings can be the basis for future strategies in improving the satisfaction of trade show attendees.