Electronic service quality in online shopping and risk reduction strategies

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate risk reduction strategies in online shopping through the perspective of buyer’s trust.

Design/methodology/approach

An explanatory research approach is adopted to identify cause-and-effect relationships between e-quality and customers’ loyalty, satisfaction and trust. This approach is accomplished through field research, which is based on a structured questionnaire that utilizes the E-S-QUAL tool, which is a multiple-item general scale for measuring electronic service quality. The sample is consisted of 92 e-buyers (consumers).

Findings

The field research revealed that three e-quality dimensions, namely, ease of use, customization and assurance, e-scape and responsiveness, have significant positive effects on e-loyalty and e-satisfaction. Regarding e-trust, only customization and assurance exerts a significant positive effect.

Research limitations/implications

The field research provides in-depth understanding of relationships among e-loyalty, e-satisfaction and e-trust. The majority of the respondents are young people living in Athens, Greece, highly educated, with a relative low monthly income.

Originality/value

This study investigates how trust is affecting the consumers’ engagement to e-commerce, suggesting the appropriate security that should be taken to mitigate perceived risks. Reviewing security measures can help reduce risks of an e-company and simultaneously enforce the level of trust and customers' intentions to buy.

Citation

Vos, A., Marinagi, C., Trivellas, P., Eberhagen, N., Giannakopoulos, G. and Skourlas, C. (2014), "Electronic service quality in online shopping and risk reduction strategies", Journal of Systems and Information Technology, Vol. 16 No. 3, pp. 170-186. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSIT-01-2014-0008