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The purpose of the study is to extract and validate the dimensions of e-service quality in ecommerce in a developing market (i.e., India) and investigate the linkages of e-service quality dimensions with customer satisfaction, customer value and behavioral intentions of repurchase and positive recommendations. The e-service quality dimensions were extracted and validated through exploratory factor analysis using SPSS ver 15.0 and confirmatory factor analysis using AMOS ver 4.0 on respondents rating of 11 e-service quality performance attributes which were identified from literature review and refined through pilot testing. E-service quality was found to be a two dimensional construct of web site related attributes and service fulfillment related attributes. The service fulfillment related dimension was most significant antecedent of customer value and repurchase intentions. E-service quality dimensions had direct and indirect effect on behavioral intentions. Web site related factors were significant antecedents of customer satisfaction and positive recommendation intentions. Value was not found have significant effect on satisfaction. The study provided empirical support for the two factor e-service quality model wherein the effect of service fulfillment was to critical in influencing customers value perceptions and repurchase intentions. Marketers of e-commerce companies need to manage and influence the process of service fulfillment so that its perceived as prompt, taking less time than competitors and had adequate variety of offerings. This study validates the theoretical relationship between cognitive evaluations, emotional reactions and behavioral intentions in the online context. It extends the research into customer consequences of e-service quality into e-commerce. The critical role of perceived value in customer loyalty is validated.
Keywords : e-Service Quality, satisfaction, Customer value, Behavioral intentions, Online, India.
INTRODUCTION
Evaluating and improving electronic service quality is critical for e service providers as the pace of competition is high and service features can easily be replicated in the online world. Thus understanding e-service quality is important for strategic and tactical planning. There's little scholarly research on the dimensions of e service quality in developing market contexts and they impact customer satisfaction and future service outcomes (Zeithaml et al., 2002). Thus theres a need for research to answer these questions which would help service identify the drivers of satisfaction, value and behavioural outcomes for their e-services. This study attempts to address this gap in research.