Comfort your Online Customer: Quality, Trust, and Loyalty on the Internet

D. Ribbink, A.C.R. van Riel, V.M. Liljander, A.C.P. Streukens

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

In e-commerce, loyal customers are considered extremely valuable. Loyalty is generally attributed to satisfaction with the quality of service. Since online transactions involve many uncertainties for the customer, trust is a condition for exchange. Trust in the electronic medium – here called “e-trust” – is believed to increase online customer loyalty, but empirical confirmations are scarce. The present study empirically investigates the roles of service quality, satisfaction and trust in an e-commerce context. In the study, e-trust is found to directly affect loyalty. The e-service quality dimension of assurance, i.e. Trusting the merchant, influences loyalty via e-trust and e-satisfaction. Other e-quality dimensions, such as ease of use, e-scape, responsiveness, and customization influence e-loyalty mainly indirectly, via satisfaction. Managerial implications and suggestions for further research are provided.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)446-456
JournalManaging Service Quality
Volume14
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2004

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