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B2C E-commerce Web Site Quality: an Empirical Examination (Cao, et al)

Article overview presented by:Karen BrayEmilie MartinTrung (John) NguyenKenneth C. Brawley

Agenda

1. Introduction1. Introduction

3. Conceptual Framework 3. Conceptual Framework

4. Methodology and Results4. Methodology and Results

5. Implications and Limitations 5. Implications and Limitations

6. Conclusion 6. Conclusion

2. Literature Review2. Literature Review

Introduction

“What constitutes web site quality or what makes a website effective?”

• This question must be answered before implementing an e-commerce portal.

• Decision makers need guidelines for developing their e-commerce presence.

Introduction

Previous studies on web-site quality: Focused on basic content management

1. Evaluation of quality of information

2. Relevance

3. Multi-media use

And on function1. Evaluation of search engines

2. Waiting and response times

3. Interface design

Introduction

Factors for web site quality and factors that affect customers’ perceptions are unclear.

Empirical studies have been only exploratory in nature.

Current research focuses on the following:1. Information quality

2. System quality

3. Service quality

4. Attractiveness

Introduction

Goal of this research:

“Identify those variables that capture e-commerce web site quality and to develop measures & empirically evaluate them.”

Literature Review

TAM (Technology Acceptance Model)• Model for predicting system acceptance by

users. • Also, diagnoses design problems before

implementation.

• Model bases user acceptance on:1. Perceived usefulness

2. Perceived ease of use

Literature Review

The TAM model is intended to provide an explanation for the factors which determine computer acceptance.

- Capable of explaining user behavior across a wide range of end-user computer technologies.

TAM is applicable to the current study in that e-commerce web sites are a form of computer technology

Literature Review

IS (information systems) Success Model IS success model involves 6 dimensions,

which only seem to include the systems aspect and not the human interaction aspect:

1. Systems quality

2. Information quality

3. Use

4. User satisfaction

5. Individual impact

6. Organizational impact

Literature Review

IS Model and SERVQUAL (service quality)

- Incorporates IS model and SERVQUAL to include human interaction

• SERVQUAL Dimensions:1. Reliability

2. Responsiveness

3. Assurance

4. Empathy

5. Tangibles

Literature Review

The IS / SERVQUAL model measures the gap between what is expected and what is delivered.

In the e-commerce context, service quality is considered to cover assurance, reliability, & empathy, while systems quality addresses tangibles & responsiveness.

Conceptual Framework

Author’s believe that system quality can be addressed via system quality, information quality, service quality and attractiveness:

Conceptual Framework

System quality: measures the functionality of a web site, i.e. usability, availability and response time.

• Search facility

• Responsiveness

• Multi-media capability

Conceptual Framework

Information quality: captures the e-commerce content issues. Providing information is the basic goal of a web site. Content is represented by information accuracy and relevance.

• Information Accuracy

• Information Relevance

Conceptual Framework

Service quality: measures the overall support delivered by the web site. It includes trust and empathy, i.e. the web site should be secure and personalized.

• Trust

• Empathy

Conceptual Framework

Attractiveness: consists of the issues of whether web pages are fun to read and subjectively pleasing.

• Playfulness

Methodology & Results

The authors used the following experiment:

• A survey was conducted to measure the four theorized components of website quality.

• 71 students at ASU submitted 213 usable questionaires.

• Each student was required to rate the website with a scale of 1 – 7.

Methodology & Results

Requirements while visiting the website:

1. Go to the site and explore it first

2. View books

3. Select a specific book that is desired

4. Add the chosen book to their shopping cart

5. View the contents of their shopping cart

Methodology & Results

Results of the survey:

Methodology & Results

Significant findings of the survey (how websites should be designed):

1. Provide accurate information

2. Reduce loading and searching time

3. Make searching easier

4. Site should also be appealing in design

Implications & Limitations

Web site quality can be a management tool because customer’s have positive and negative perceptions about websites.

In order to be effective, a website must have:

1. Good content

2. Good service

Implications & Limitations

Guidelines for web interface design:

Capability of hardware

Focus customers perceptions

Enhance trust from a technological perspective

Guidelines for web interface design (cont):

1. Evaluate existing similar sites

2. Compare design alternatives

3. Use usability measures/metrics

4. Check for conformance

Implications & Limitations

Limitations of the study:

The questionnaire is self-reported by respondents: the researcher’s intentions were obvious.

The sample may be biased as it includes students only from one university.

Finally, the sample book sites are few in number.

Conclusion

This paper identifies a set of factors capturing the quality of an e-commerce web site.

A set of reliable instruments for web site quality has been developed and empirically validated.

These factors have significant practical meaning for e-commerce web designers and web managers.

Thank You!