The role played by perceived usability, satisfaction and consumer trust on website loyalty

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.im.2005.01.002Get rights and content

Abstract

We performed a study to determine the influence that perceived usability has on the user's loyalty to websites that they visit. The results of the empirical analysis confirmed that the trust of the user increases when the user perceived that the system was usable and that there was a consequent increase in the degree of website loyalty. In the same way, greater usability was found to have a positive influence on user satisfaction, and this also generated greater website loyalty. Finally, it was found that user trust was partially dependent on the degree of consumer website satisfaction.

Introduction

Due to the influence of the Internet on economic activity [95], [105] traditional areas of study, such as satisfaction and loyalty, have received a new impulse as a consequence of the incorporation of businesses in the virtual medium. Similarly, other concepts, such as trust or usability, are acquiring a particular relevance due to the especially important part they play in the provision of services through the Internet. Despite the importance of these concepts there have been few studies that have analysed the relationship between them. Our study was initiated to provide reliable and valid scales of measurement of all the variables, especially those with of usability, since it is the only one that has been subjected to the most demanding criteria. Specifically, the objective of this study was the analysis of the influence of perceived website usability on user trust and satisfaction and the incidence of these three variables on the loyalty shown by Internet users.

Section snippets

Website usability

While the website might seem cold and distant compared to a traditional establishment, it also offers new and interesting possibilities. Because of these and the relative lack of literature on the issues involved, there have been many research projects centred on analysis of the consumer's perceptions of these establishments [85], [97], and on studying the influence of the site attributes that affect the conduct of the potential buyer [65], [21], [16]. Based on these studies, it seems likely

Trust

This concept has received special attention in marketing literature due to the notable influence it has on the attainment of a long-lasting and profitable relationships [74], [5], [35], [37], [98]. Traditionally, trust is defined as a group of beliefs held by a person derived from his or her perceptions about certain attributes; in marketing this involves the brand, products or services, salespeople, and the establishment where the products or services are bought and sold [34]. This group of

Data collection

Following the suggestions of other researchers [92], a single dimension was used to quantify the variables of usability and satisfaction, measured using a multi-item scale. Quantifying satisfaction did not present difficulties, as reference could be made to many papers published. The measurement of usability, however, was a little more complex. Although a number of efforts made to quantify usability, most of the instruments (e.g. the SUS or SUMI scales) have not been submitted to adequate

Analysis of initial reliability

All the scales used were above the recommended 0.7 for Cronbach alpha [80] and 0.3 on the item-total correlation [81]. The minimum value of the item-total correlation in all fields was well over the minimum recommended. The uni-dimensionality of the scales was analysed using a factorial exploratory analysis of the principal components, and, where necessary, with a varimax rotation [70]. In all cases, the results obtained were clearly satisfactory (see Table 1).2

Structural model analysis

Once the measurement scales were designed and validated, we contrasted the hypotheses that made up the structural model [8]; see Fig. 1. For the multi-dimensional variables (trust and loyalty), the indicators that were taken for causal analysis were derived from the arithmetical average of the items that made up each of the dimensions. This common research practice allowed us to reduce the number of parameters to be estimated and therefore made model adjustment and understanding easier.

Recommendations and limitations

The high costs involved in increasing the client base of a business are forcing companies to look for ways to retain their consumers. Gaining a higher level of customer fidelity has become a key objective. Our research has confirmed that perceived usability has a direct and positive relationship on the degree of consumer trust and satisfaction. Moreover, it has shown that the effect of the degree of usability on the degree of consumer loyalty does not follow a direct path but is conditioned by

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful for the financial support received from the Aragon Regional Government (S-46; PM-034), FUNDEAR and the University of Zaragoza (UZ2002-SOC-06). The authors are grateful to Professor Sibley for its useful comments.

Carlos Flavián holds a Ph.D. in Business Administration and is professor of Marketing in the Faculty of Economics and Business Studies at the University of Zaragoza (Spain). His research in Strategic Marketing and Retailing has been published in several academic journals, such as the European Journal of Marketing, Journal of Consumer Marketing, Journal of Strategic Marketing, International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, and

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    Carlos Flavián holds a Ph.D. in Business Administration and is professor of Marketing in the Faculty of Economics and Business Studies at the University of Zaragoza (Spain). His research in Strategic Marketing and Retailing has been published in several academic journals, such as the European Journal of Marketing, Journal of Consumer Marketing, Journal of Strategic Marketing, International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, and different books such as The Current State of Business Disciplines, Building Society Through e-Commerce or Contemporary Problems of International Economy. He is in charge of several competitive research projects being developed on the topic of e-marketing.

    Miguel Guinalíu is assistant professor in the Faculty of Economics and Business Studies (University of Zaragoza, Spain). Previously, he worked as an e-business consultant. His main research line is online consumer behaviour, particularly the analysis of online consumer trust and virtual communities. His work has been presented in national and international conferences, and has been published in several journals, such as International Journal of Bank Marketing or International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, and books, such as Advances in Electronic Marketing.

    Raquel Gurrea is assistant professor in the Faculty of Economics and Business Studies at the University of Zaragoza (Spain). Her main research lines are online consumer behaviour and the analysis of the advantages and limitations of the Internet in the development of the economic activity. Her work has been published in several journals and has been presented in national and international conferences with high impact such as International Conference on Recent Advances in Retailing and Services Science, Marketing Science Conference or European Marketing Academy Conference.

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