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Research Question Whereas quality generally indicates how well a product or service meets customers' requirements (Nagel and Cilliers 1990), website quality reflects whether a website satisfies users' needs (Cho, Bonn, and Kang 2014). Against this background, the goal of this study is to investigate how perceived website quality affects different levels of customers ' satisfaction in online shopping. Drawing on the fundamental assumption that humans adapt their decision-making processes to specific contexts while striving to conserve the cognitive effort associated with decision-making (Häubl and Trifts 2000), this research attempts to show to what extent website quality can inspire customers' choice satisfaction and experience satisfaction across different e-channels (i.e., mobile vs. stationary). As the constraints in a mobile setting might tempt users to use website quality as a heuristic when evaluating product choice and overall website site experiences, one can assume that website quality is a more powerful predictor for individuals' website experience satisfaction when using a mobile device instead of a stationary device for online shopping. Furthermore, we assume that in a constrained virtual shopping surrounding, as it is the case while shopping through a mobile device, perceived variety in an online shop strengthens the effect of website quality when using a mobile instead of a large-screen device. Method and Data Data was collected through a web-based questionnaire from German students. In total, the final data set consisted of 177 data sets, of which 88 had accessed the questionnaire through a mobile device and were therefore assigned to the mobile group. These sub-samples were matched on criteria that have been found to characterize intensive mobile device use (e.g., age (San-Martín, Prodanova, and Jiménez 2015) and innovativeness (Aldás-Manzano, Ruiz-Mafé, and Sanz-Blas 2009). The online shop, which was created by a professional agency for this study, focused on selling cooking pots. To manipulate product variety, two versions of the online shop were created (one brand = low variety; three brands = high variety). The respondents were randomly assigned to one of the two online shops and asked to imagine a scenario, which guided them through the online shopping visit. The scenario included a search task that is qualified to induce high involvement among participants (Ha and Lennon 2010). Additionally, online survey access was verified to integrate the respective e-channel during further data analysis. To test the measurement and structural models we applied partial least-squares structural equation modeling using Smart PLS 3.0 software (Ringle, Wende, and Becker 2015). Summary of Findings The results of the study show, that the perceived website quality positively influences individuals' overall website experience satisfaction and individuals' choice satisfaction. In addition to that, the choice satisfaction positively impacts individuals' overall website experience satisfaction. To summarize, the assessment of the inner model illustrates statistically significant relationships. Further, mediation analysis demonstrates that choice satisfaction partially mediates the relationship between website quality and overall website experience satisfaction (Hair et al. 2014). As expected, website quality has a stronger effect when customers use a mobile instead of a stationary device. In turn, the effect of website quality on choice satisfaction is independent of the respective device. Interestingly, the total impact of website quality is significantly stronger when customers access the online shop via a mobile instead of a stationary device. Regarding the moderating impact of product variety, the product variety slightly strengthens the effects of website quality on choice satisfaction when the online shop is accessed via a mobile device. The same relationship is weakened when accessing the online shop through a stationary device. In neither the mobile nor in the stationary sample was the relationship between website quality and overall website experience satisfaction directed by perceived product variety. Key Contributions The current research contributes to existing literature from a threefold perspective. First, it complements classical research efforts regarding website quality by emphasizing the mediating role of choice satisfaction in the relationship between website quality and experience satisfaction. Second, we contribute to the literature on e-commerce and mobile commerce by uncovering differences in how access devices influence the relationship between service quality and customers' satisfaction. Third, effects of product variety are regarded in an online shopping context. Furthermore, these results offer several managerial implications. Generally, customers' satisfaction with the online experience can be managed by providing customers with aesthetically appealing, user-friendly, and informative online shops, especially when they access the online shop through a mobile device (e.g., responsive-design approaches help drive customer satisfaction). Retailers should attempt to adapt their content to mobile device requirements because adding a new e-channel can enhance customers' loyalty through experience satisfaction. Furthermore, creators of online shops should cautiously select the number of presented products, because variety can emphasize and highlight the role of website quality, especially in mobile-shopping environments. Overall, high quality standards are crucial to satisfy customers at different levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
