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

1. B2C E-commerce Web Site Quality: an Empirical Examination (Cao, et al) Article overview presented by: Karen Bray Emilie Martin Trung (John) Nguyen Kenneth C. Brawley

2. Agenda • Introduction 2. LiteratureReview 3. Conceptual Framework 4. Methodologyand Results 5. Implications and Limitations 6. Conclusion

3. 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.

4. Introduction • Previous studies on web-site quality: • Focused on basic content management • Evaluation of quality of information • Relevance • Multi-media use • And on function • Evaluation of search engines • Waiting and response times • Interface design

5. 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: • Information quality • System quality • Service quality • Attractiveness

6. Introduction Goal of this research: “Identify those variables that capture e-commerce web site quality and to develop measures & empirically evaluate them.”

7. Literature Review • TAM (Technology Acceptance Model) • Model for predicting system acceptance by users. • Also, diagnoses design problems before implementation. • Model bases user acceptance on: • Perceived usefulness • Perceived ease of use

8. 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

9. 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: • Systems quality • Information quality • Use • User satisfaction • Individual impact • Organizational impact

10. Literature Review • IS Model and SERVQUAL (service quality) • Incorporates IS model and SERVQUAL to include human interaction • SERVQUAL Dimensions: • Reliability • Responsiveness • Assurance • Empathy • Tangibles

11. 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.

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

13. Conceptual Framework • System quality: measures the functionality of a web site, i.e. usability, availability and response time. • Search facility • Responsiveness • Multi-media capability

14. 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

15. 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

16. Conceptual Framework • Attractiveness: consists of the issues of whether web pages are fun to read and subjectively pleasing. • Playfulness

17. 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.

18. Methodology & Results • Requirements while visiting the website: • Go to the site and explore it first • View books • Select a specific book that is desired • Add the chosen book to their shopping cart • View the contents of their shopping cart

19. Methodology & Results • Results of the survey:

20. Methodology & Results • Significant findings of the survey (how websites should be designed): • Provide accurate information • Reduce loading and searching time • Make searching easier • Site should also be appealing in design

21. 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: • Good content • Good service

22. Implications & Limitations • Guidelines for web interface design: • Capability of hardware • Focus customers perceptions • Enhance trust from a technological perspective

23. Guidelines for web interface design (cont): • Evaluate existing similar sites • Compare design alternatives • Use usability measures/metrics 4. Check for conformance

24. 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.

25. 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.

26. Thank You!