Online Satisfaction Research Articles

Online customer relationships: switching cost drivers for different relationship lengths

ABSTRACT The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of selected online drivers on perceived switching costs, with consideration of the personality trait of Openness to Experience. The research explores how these relationships vary with varying lengths of relationship. Data were collected from online banking users using paper-based surveys and were tested using structural equation modeling. Openness to Experience influences online trust and satisfaction positively, perceived switching costs negatively, but not online loyalty. Online satisfaction affects online loyalty positively, but not perceived switching costs. Online trust predicts online loyalty and perceived switching costs positively. Online loyalty enhances perceived switching costs significantly. The explanatory power of the model fluctuates over different relational periods and is best when customers’ relationships reach medium-term duration. The research adds new insights to the customers’ online relationship literature and provides managers with new ways to customize online banking services for better online relational strategies.

Predicting online repurchase intentions with e-satisfaction as mediator: a study on Gen Y

PurposeShopping online is a fast-growing phenomenon. A look into the rapid exponential growth of the primary players in this sector shows huge market potential for e-commerce. Given the convenience of internet shopping, e-commerce is seen as an emerging trend among consumers, specifically the younger generation (Gen Y). The popularity of e-commerce and online shopping has captured the attention of e-retailers, encouraging researchers to focus on this area. This paper aims to examine the relationship between online repurchase intention and other variables such as security, privacy concerns, trust and ease of use (EOU), mediated by e-satisfaction.Design/methodology/approachA self-administered survey method is used, and students aged between 20 and 35 years at universities in northern India are selected as subjects. To test the hypotheses of this study, an online questionnaire is distributed to participants, with 309 legitimate responses received. The data are analyzed using SPSS version 20.0 and AMOS version 20.0. Structural equation modeling is used to examine the model and to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe results of this study show that security, privacy concerns, trust and EOU have a positive significant relationship with repurchase intention. The findings also reveal that e-satisfaction has a full mediation effect between security and repurchase intention and also between trust and repurchase intention. In addition, a partial mediation effect of e-satisfaction is noted between EOU and repurchase intention and between privacy concerns and repurchase intention.Practical implicationsThe results show that security, trust, EOU and privacy concerns are the factors that have most impact on consumer purchasing behavior. In terms of the repurchase intention of Gen Y consumers, what is needed are strong security features, an easy-to-use interface, a trusted privacy policy and the creation of trust. Furthermore, it may be beneficial to observe e-satisfaction as a mediator when identifying potential problems; online satisfaction is important for the group in this study, and the results show that it impacts on the relation between repurchase intention and other factors.Social implicationsIn terms of the repurchase intention of Gen Y consumers, what is needed are strong security features, an easy-to-use interface, a trusted privacy policy and the creation of trust. Furthermore, it may be beneficial to observe e-satisfaction as a mediator when identifying potential problems; online satisfaction is important for the group in this study, and the results show that it impacts on the relation between repurchase intention and other factors.Originality/valueThis research determines the impact of security, privacy concerns, EOU and trust on the online repurchasing behavior of Gen Y in India. The mediation effect of e-satisfaction is also determined.

Integration of online and offline channels: a view of O2O commerce

PurposeThis study uses the travel industry as the research context and investigates online–offline integration between the different business entities of hoteliers and online travel agencies (OTAs). The purpose of this paper is threefold: first, to examine cooperation between hotels and OTAs; second, to examine how online and offline satisfaction increase behavioral intentions toward online and offline channels; and third, to investigate the factors that increase online and offline satisfaction.Design/methodology/approachTo investigate customers’ behavioral intentions toward online and offline channels, the authors collected 241 data points from ten hotels from four well-known chains. The partial least squares structural equation modeling approach was used to test the research model and the 13 hypotheses.FindingsThe results show that system quality, information quality and service quality of OTA websites increase online satisfaction. Online satisfaction further increases behavioral intentions toward online channels but has no significant effect on offline satisfaction and behavioral intentions toward offline channels. Emotional value and social value offered by hotels increase offline satisfaction. Offline satisfaction further increases behavioral intentions toward online and offline channels. Finally, behavioral intentions toward online channels indeed reinforce behavioral intentions toward offline channels.Originality/valueSome prior studies have focused on the effects of offline channels on online channels, whereas others have examined the influences of online channels on offline channels. However, in previous studies, the online and offline channels were both owned by the same business entities. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to examine how online and offline channels belonging to different business entities can work together to increase customer intentions.

Rethinking gamete donor care: A satisfaction survey of egg and sperm donors in the UK.

ObjectiveDespite poor clinic communication and staff treatment being reported by donors, high rates of overall satisfaction are still reported in surveys. This study will evaluate the importance of communication and interaction between donors and fertility clinic staff in gamete donor care.MethodsWe report on 120 egg and sperm donors’ responses to a UK-wide online satisfaction survey. The survey focused on donors’ interactions with fertility clinic staff pre-, during, and post- donation. Basic cross-tabulation was performed on the data using online survey software. Textual data was read and extracts identified, which illustrated and expanded on the findings from the numerical data. Diagrammatic modeling was also utilised to analyse the textual data, with particular focus to relationships between the donors and clinic staff, the main activities within the gamete donation process, and how these activities may affect donor satisfaction with the gamete donation process.ResultsDonors expressed concern for the infertile couple and the resulting child; conveyed frustration at not receiving information on the expenses they could claim; felt lost in the system regarding the ease of making clinic appointments, and once made they were routinely not seen on time for these appointments. Donors also negatively commented on aftercare, the location and condition of the donation room, and information on contraception. In addition, Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome was frequently reported, with these egg donors believing that clinic staff were not concerned with their physical or emotional well-being, but were instead disproportionately focused on extracting the eggs.ConclusionsThe multifaceted notion of donors highlights the complexity inherent to the gamete donation process, which comprises various aspects of uncertainty in the donation system, and ambiguity in the donation process. Categorising donors as Altruist, Customer, and Patient, conveys the particular importance of staff communication and treatment in donor care. These categories are not mutually exclusive however, in that an individual donor may experience more than one of these perspectives during the course of their gamete donation journey. Finally, there were a number of exemplar cases, where donors reported high satisfaction throughout, and these correlated with them being given a single point of contact at the clinic. Subject to resource constraints, we suggest that this practice should be implemented throughout clinics in the UK, so that donors have access to dedicated clinic staff who not only support them emotionally and physically throughout the gamete donation process, but also ensure that communication is open, clear, timely, and consistent.

How convenient is it? Delivering online shopping convenience to enhance customer satisfaction and encourage e-WOM

The purpose of this article is to identify which dimensions of online convenience affect consumers’ intention of using online shopping and explore a conceptual model to measuring consumer perceptions of online shopping convenience in order to surpass the shortcomings of previous studies that did not examine the consequences of convenience shopping experience. A sample of 250 Portuguese young individuals participate in the empirical study. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and a covariance-based Structural Equation Model (CB-SEM) were used to validate the measurement model and to test the relationships in the model. The results reveal that Possession, Transaction, and Evaluation are the dimensions with more influence in online shopping convenience. The outcomes of this study extend previous works on online convenience and help to understand which factors drive online satisfaction and enhance behavioral intentions and e-WOM. Contributions to the body of knowledge and the implications for e-commerce retailers are presented. In face of the findings, retailers should be conscious that customer expectations of online convenience have increased as a natural response to the service innovations introduced by website managers and marketers. Therefore, frequent monitoring of consumers’ perceptions and expectations about online convenience is a prerequisite for achieving continuous improvement in rendering highly convenient online service.

Evaluation of eLearning for the teaching of undergraduate ophthalmology at medical school: a randomised controlled crossover study.

To compare ophthalmology teaching delivered by eLearning with traditional lectures, in terms of undergraduate performance and satisfaction. Randomised controlled crossover study at King's College London Medical School with 245 third year medical students. The ophthalmology syllabus was divided into ten topics. Five topics were randomised to be taught by traditional lectures and five by electronic learning (eLearning). For the second rotation of students the topics were crossed over, so that those topics taught by traditional lectures were taught by eLearning and vice versa. At the end of each rotation the students sat an optional online mock examination containing 100 questions (ten on each topic). Students' examination performance was compared between the two teaching methods. Student satisfaction was assessed using an online satisfaction survey. Outcome measures were the mean percentage of correct answers across all ten topics, student satisfaction and self-assessed knowledge. The mean examination score for questions taught by eLearning was 58% (95% CI, 55.7-59.6), versus 55% (95% CI 53.1-56.8) for traditional lectures (P = 0.047). Across all topics students were more satisfied with eLearning than traditional lectures, with 87% (95% CI 84.5-88.4) rating eLearning as 'excellent' or 'good' versus 65% (95% CI 62.0-67.4) for lectures (p < 0.0001). Overall 180 (75.6%) preferred eLearning compared to traditional lectures, with 166 (69.7%) rating eLearning 'much better' or 'better,' 61 (25.6%) 'neutral' and 11 (4.6%) 'worse' or 'much worse.' Student satisfaction and examination performance are both enhanced by ophthalmology eLearning. Similar eLearning modules may be suitable for other specialties and postgraduate learning.

PERAN MEDIASI E-SATISFACTION DAN E-TRUST TERHADAP E-LOYALTY

As the number of female customers shopping in online clothing stores increases, understanding how female customers’ e-loyalty is formed and fostered in this type of online store becomes very important. The purpose of this paper is to focus on female online clothing shoppers and to examine the mediating of e-loyalty in the context of online clothing stores: e-satisfaction and e-trust. The number of respondents is 196 persons who have online clothing shopping experience in Jakarta. The structural equation modeling was performed to analyze the measurement and structural models. The results show that both Online Satisfaction and Online Security are positively associated with e-trust, whereas web design is not. Furthermore, Online Satisfaction turns positively influence e-loyalty for female online clothing shoppers.

Factors driving consumer loyalty intention towards e-tailers: an integrated model

Online shopping has emerged as one of the most important e-commerce applications in recent years. However, there is limited empirical research which has examined factors driving Indian consumers' loyalty intention towards e-tailers. Thus, this study proposed and tested a model that examines the effect of perceived website quality, security and privacy policy, shared value, and perceived e-tailer reputation on online consumer's trust, perceived risk, satisfaction, and loyalty intention in India. Data were collected from Indian online consumers and analysed using structural equation modelling. The results showed that perceived website quality has a strong positive effect on customer satisfaction. Data further demonstrate that security and privacy policy, and perceived e-tailer reputation directly influence e-trust. Online shopper's previous satisfaction with an e-tailer also builds e-trust and thus, decreases perceived risk. When a consumer is more satisfied with an e-tailer and has stronger trust on the same, this will lead to higher loyalty intention towards the e-tailer. These findings have interesting implications for website designers and online retailers. Finally, we discuss some limitations of our study and directions for future research.

The antecedent role of online satisfaction, perceived risk online, and perceived website usability on the affect towards travel destinations

Abstract Tourists nowadays rely predominantly on the Internet for their travel decision-making and for purchasing travel products. Given this, websites have become the most important medium to induce positive affect towards a destination, through safe and satisfactory online experiences. However, some travelers are still reluctant to purchase travel products online due to perceived risk. The aim of this study is to explore whether consumer satisfaction during online browsing, consumer risk perception online, and perceived usability of the travel website can predict consumers’ affect towards a travel destination. A website promoting a fictional travel destination was used for data-collection purposes. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the validity and reliability of user satisfaction, perceived risk online, perceived website usability, and affect towards a travel destination, while a regression model was employed to explore the predictive power of these constructs on users’ emotional response towards the target destination displayed on the website. Results show that a higher level of consumer satisfaction with the online browsing experience and greater perceived website usability generate positive affect towards a travel destination. In the conclusions section, the practical implications of these findings are discussed in relation to destination marketing and branding.

No Correlation Between Press Ganey Survey Responses and Outcomes in Post–Total Hip Arthroplasty Patients

BackgroundIn the era of the online orthopedic market, patients tend to equate publicly available online satisfaction surveys with what they presume their ultimate surgical outcome will be. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess whether there is a correlation between Press Ganey (PG) scores and (1) Hip Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index and Harris Hip Score; (2) Short Form-12 and Short Form-36 scores; (3) University of California Los Angeles and Visual Analog Scale scores assessed at a mean of 3 years (range, 1 to 6 years) after surgery. In addition, we assessed whether (4) these correlations persist in patients who were evaluated under 2 years and 3 or more years after surgery. MethodsSix-hundred ninety-two patients from November 2009 to January 2015 were identified from our institutional PG database. One-hundred ninety (27%) responded to the survey. One-hundred forty-nine (78%) patients were given the total hip arthroplasty assessment tools at a minimum of 2-year follow-up, and 33 patients (17%) completed their survey before 2 years after surgery. We assessed whether overall hospital rating scores correlated with the above assessment tools. ResultsPearson correlation analysis revealed no correlation between the PG survey score and the assessment tools. HHS had the highest correlation coefficient (r = .120; P = .316); however, this was not significant. After removing the patients who had their follow-up survey administered under 2 years after surgery (33 patients), there was still no statistically significant correlation between the above-mentioned outcome scores and PG overall hospital rating (P > .05). ConclusionNo statistically significant relationship was found between commonly used total hip arthroplasty assessment tools and the PG overall hospital rating. Based on these results, PG surveys may not be a suitable implementation of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid services. A set of measures that can be widely collected and reported by hospitals for patients to use in order to evaluate hip arthroplasty outcomes needs to be developed. These results are of paramount importance, indicating a necessary reevaluation of PG surveys as a major determinant for reimbursements rendered by orthopedists and their use by patients.

Online Shoppers' Satisfaction

The present study examines the impact of two shopping values and three website characteristics and e-trust on shoppers' e-satisfaction. Earlier studies have identified various factors that affect shoppers' online satisfaction. It is pertinent to validate those factors in the developing economies and none of the earlier studies have explored this. To fill this gap, the study validates the scales of these constructs in the Indian context. The results reveal a positive and significant impact of utilitarian shopping value, web entertainment, effectiveness of information content, web informativeness and e-trust on shoppers' satisfaction. This paper did not find any impact of hedonic shopping values on shoppers' satisfaction. From managerial perspectives, the study can be used as a guide for online retailers in encouraging e-shopping by creating conducive websites that attract shoppers. For future researchers, this has validated scales in Indian context.

The Impact of E-Service Quality and E-Loyalty on Online Shopping: Moderating Effect of E-Satisfaction and E-Trust

This paper analyzes the role of online satisfaction and e-trust as mediators in the relationship between electronic service quality (e-SQ) and online loyalty (integrating behavioral and attitudinal elements), in the context of e-shopping. In an increasingly competitive environment, e-retailers need to know the determinants of the success of their online distribution channels in terms of service quality and the influence of this on e-satisfaction, e-trust and e-loyalty. Using a sample of 302 website users of amazon.com in Jordan, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were performed to test the relationship between these dimensions. Three dimensions were found to be the main explanatory factors of e-SQ, namely efficiency, privacy and customer service. In addition, it was confirmed that satisfaction mediates the relationship between e-SQ and behavioral and attitudinal loyalty.

What are the Dimensions of Online Satisfaction?

Abstract The purpose of the research is to identify the factors affecting online satisfaction. As a research method, we applied a quantitative survey based on a questionnaire. The sample consists of 532, students at Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, aged between 19-26 years, who buy online various products from the Internet. In order to identify the dimensions of online satisfaction, we used exploratory factor analysis with SPSS 17.0, with Principal Components as extraction type and Varimax as rotation method. Nine dimensions of online satisfaction were identified, namely: products corresponding to the online description, good price, comfort, easily accessible information, personal data security, good design, support, personalization, and website awareness.

Factors Influencing Health-Related Internet Activities and Their Outcomes

This study explores why people participate in health-related Internet activities and what the potential impacts of such activities are. Specifically, this study examines how trust in health information (i.e., from a physician and from the Internet) determines individuals’ health-related Internet activities and whether this use subsequently improves outcomes such as discussion with doctors about online health information and satisfaction with health care. Findings from a Web-based survey in South Korea indicated that trust in health information from doctors decreased communication activities, whereas trust in online health information increased both communication and information activities. Both communication and information activities increased discussions with doctors about online health information, which subsequently led to satisfaction with health care.

Case Outcomes in a Communication-and-Resolution Program in New York Hospitals.

To determine case outcomes in a communication-and-resolution program (CRP) implemented to respond to adverse events in general surgery. Five acute-care hospitals in New York City. Following CRP implementation, hospitals recorded information about each CRP event for 22months. Risk managers prospectively collected data in collaboration with representatives from the hospital's insurer. External researchers administered an online satisfaction survey to clinicians involved in CRP events. Among 125 CRP cases, disclosure conversations were carried out in 92 percent, explanations were conveyed in 88 percent, and apologies were offered in 72.8 percent. Three quarters of events did not involve substandard care. Compensation offers beyond bill waivers were deemed appropriate in 9 of 30 of cases in which substandard care caused harm and communicated in six such cases. In 44 percent of cases, hospitals identified steps that could be taken to improve safety. Clinicians had low awareness of the workings of the CRP, but high satisfaction with their experiences. The bulk of CRPs' work is in investigating and communicating about events not caused by substandard care. These CRPs were quite successful in handling such events, but less consistent in offering compensation in cases involving substandard care.

South African generation-X online shopper satisfaction and their repurchase intentions

The growth of online shopping channels gradually forces brick and mortar retailers to explore the importance of online shopping trends and online customer behavior. While maintaining customer satisfaction has been recognized as one of the essential factors for business survival and growth, this has not been sufficiently explored for online shopping platforms. Understanding what online constructs appeal to generation-X consumers is critical for organization that would want to pursue virtual business platforms. From a brief literature review in this study, it could be said that online customer satisfaction and its influences on online repurchase intentions in the South African retailing environment remain sparsely researched. Therefore, this study seeks to analyze the dimensions of online customer satisfaction and regress the online satisfaction dimensions on repurchase intentions of generation-X consumers. An attempt is made to apply the theory of planned behavior and social exchange in the adapted conceptual of the study. These theories are deemed to provide an appropriate theoretical grounding to this study. The target population was South African generation-X online consumers in Gauteng. A total of 377 questionnaires were received for data analysis. Implications of the research findings are discussed and limitations and future research directions are provided. Keywords: online shoppers, online customer satisfaction, repurchase intentions, generation-X consumers, South Africa. JEL Classification: M1, M30, M31, L10

The Importance of Usability Features in Enhancing Online Communication Satisfaction

Web 2.0 is providing more responsive, interactive and online platforms of participation and engagement within users in organizations. The growth of the Internet gives a significant contribution to the development of online systems. The acceptance and usage of online system in organizations depend on various key factors such as ease of use, interactivity and usability. This study evaluates the importance of usability of online information management systems (IMS) in the context of user attitudes to online communication satisfaction which drives usage. Based on a survey of 223 employees at four research universities in Malaysia, this study adapted the communication satisfaction and usability to examine the online satisfaction in using IMS. The results indicate that there is a positive and significant relationship between usability and online communication satisfaction toward IMS usage. This study reveals the importance of usability in understanding the requirements in improving communication satisfaction, especially in developing online systems.

Impact of changing consumer lifestyles and website quality on online satisfaction and loyalty - an emerging market framework

Online loyalty or electronic loyalty is argued to be a key imperative for survival of the online retailers. The existing approach for studying it is largely fragmented, examining only certain stages of the purchase process or focussing on certain factors, with little or no clarity on the methodological incorporation of domain and context specificity. Previous studies done in the developed countries may not be applicable in emerging markets where consumers are still undergoing transformation from their encapsulation in traditional beliefs and values into a technology driven modern way of life. This study extends existing loyalty framework with due consideration to the methodology as well as the development level of e-commerce in the market. It proposes a framework which juxtaposes impact of advancing technology across each purchase stage using constructs of e-lifestyles, website quality and e-satisfaction and their impact on e-loyalty. A comprehensive understanding of these constructs will lead to better understanding of online consumer behaviour in emerging markets like India.

The Roles of Website Characteristics and Social Network Communities in Developing Customer E-loyalty in the Online Travel Industry

Internet and social network communities have become the essential channel for people looking for tourism information and online purchases or reservations. The academic community strive to better understand which factors influence online satisfaction and loyalty in the online travel industry. Many antecedents to e-satisfaction have been identified in the literature, namely functional and relational website characteristics. While many studies have assessed the influence of functional characteristics on esatisfaction such as usability and security, few research focused on the influence of social and human dimensions of the interface, called relational characteristics, especially in the online travel context. In fact, the relational features have been studied as a part of the optimization of the website interface and not from the logic of loyalty and brand-customer relationships. Moreover, there is a call in the literature for more research on the impact of individual engagement on social networks sites on loyalty generation. Thus, the objective of this study is to investigate how online attributes under the control of the cyber-merchant (website functional and relational attributes) and social networking sites where the firm has far less control, foster e-saisfaction and e-loyalty in the online travel industry. A self-administered survey was used and data were collected from university students who had shopped from an online travel company in the past year. By using SEM modelling, results show that usability, quality of support, and security/privacy positively impact e-satisfaction while e-satisfaction influences both cognitive and affective loyalty. Further analyses showed that personalization and online social network communities significantly influence both cognitive and affective loyalty while perceived social presence has a negative impact on cognitive loyalty. By understanding website drivers of online satisfaction and loyalty, this study contribute to help online travel companies develop strategies positioned to build long-term relationships, and thereby gain a competitive advantage.

Channels in the Mirror

Firms operating multiple channels as parallel routes to market face intense pressure to ensure superior customer satisfaction in their entire channel system. Relying on the structural alignment framework, the authors argue that to address this challenge, providers of concurrent channels should give priority to alignable channel attributes—attributes that have corresponding or “mirror” attributes in the other channels. These features are more salient to customers than nonalignable features and likely represent the origin of satisfaction evaluations in concurrent channel environments. Applying multigroup nested models using data from off-line and online shoppers, the authors empirically validate choice (assortment breadth and depth), charge (availability of fair prices), convenience (efficiency of the purchase process), confidence (security of transactions), and care (assurance of promised quality) as alignable channel facets. The resulting 5C model is superior to existing models in that it enables the unified capture of both off-line and online satisfaction, allowing a meaningful comparison across formats. Using alignable satisfaction facets enables managers to trace true differences in the satisfaction levels between channels. In particular, a channel’s share of investment should match its share of unexploited satisfaction potential. The 5C model also supports within-channel decisions by revealing the impact of the five facets on overall satisfaction with each format.