How Shopping Frequency And Product Type Affect Consumers Perceptions Of E-Tailing Quality

Abstract

We survey a national sample of US online consumers about their perceptions regarding the quality of online shopping experiences.  Our intent is to examine whether the frequency with which they purchase products online and the types of products they purchase affect their perceptions of internet retailer quality.  In this study, the quality of online shopping is measured using a set of items that represent the four phases encountered when shopping via the Internet:  (1) the retailer’s homepage, (2) online product catalog, (3) order form and (4) customer service and support.  Factor analysis of these items uncovers the following seven underlying e-tailing quality dimensions: reliability, accessibility, ordering services, convenience, product content, assurance and credibility.   We find that frequent online shoppers consider both reliability and product content significantly more important than infrequent online shoppers; ordering services is significantly more important to infrequent online shoppers.  With regard to product type, we find some significant differences between online shoppers who purchase “search” versus “experience” products.  Specifically, those who purchase experience products online rate ordering services and product content significantly more important than those who buy search products.