[What Makes Consumers to Shop Online]

By

Acknowledgement

I would take this opportunity to thank my research supervisor, family and friends for their support and guidance without which this research would not have been possible.

DECLARATION

I, [type your full first names and surname here], declare that the contents of this dissertation/thesis represent my own unaided work, and that the dissertation/thesis has not previously been submitted for academic examination towards any qualification. Furthermore, it represents my own opinions and not necessarily those of the University.

Signed __________________ Date _________________

Abstract

Attributes of online satisfaction are dynamic. Specifically, it remains to be examined how online shopping attributes empirically affect changes in satisfaction that leads to repurchase behaviours over time and why. The present study develops a theoretical framework for conceptualizing satisfaction with temporal effects and empirically tests it using longitudinal data from 219 online customers. The results indicate that the relationship between attribute-level evaluations and satisfaction, which has only been examined in terms of predictors of satisfaction in prior literature, is dynamic and changes over time. Changed attributes (particularly convenience and site design) might signal an opportunity to capture the dynamics of attribute-level evaluations over time. Furthermore, the findings reveal significant temporal effects of satisfaction and purchase intention at time point T on satisfaction and purchase intention at time point T + 1. The results suggest that temporal effects occur as a diagnostic function of a previous attribute rating of a subsequent satisfaction evaluation and the consumer's level of subjective knowledge.

Table of Content

Chapter 1: Introduction6

Chapter 2: Literature review8

The attribute evaluation and satisfaction relationship8

Dynamics of satisfaction with online shopping attributes10

Chapter 3: Methodology11

Research Design11

Data Collection12

Data Analysis13

Theoretical Framework13

Difference13

Ethical Concerns14

Overview of the survey14

Selection of informants15

Sample15

Data Analysis Procedures16

References18

Chapter 1: Introduction

Website satisfaction has recently gained increasing importance in marketing literature. Consequently, researchers are increasingly interested in investigating the attributes of website user satisfaction to gain insights into e-tailers' profitability. Indeed, extant satisfaction literature gives central importance to the study of online-channel customer satisfaction. Although numerous academic studies suggest positive effects of satisfaction on the firm's performance, many important research topics have not yet been addressed in the context of online retailing. One such topic is the relationship that exists between attributes and satisfaction on repurchase intentions over time. It is possible that not all attributes influence satisfaction with a particular web site over time. Specifically, it remains to be examined how online shopping attributes empirically affect changes in satisfaction that leads to repurchase behaviours over time and why.

It also remains to be understood whether or not attribute influences shift in satisfaction over time. Since two previous studies published in the Journal of Retailing focus on the development of website attributes leading to satisfaction, incorporation of the online shopping attributes in the satisfaction-purchase intention link over time is still undeveloped. Thus, no literature has addressed the implications of this critical issue for practitioners and researchers. The two prior studies that were conducted in vastly different contexts, the US and Germany, at a time when the Internet shopping was in its infancy are still relevant and useful ...