Web Systems Design and Online Consumer Behavior [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

Conclusions and Cues for Further Research

In this chapter we have attempted to improve the
understanding and management of an important strategic element known as customer switching costs.
By reviewing the strategy, economics, and marketing literature, we show that researchers have long
acknowledged the importance of the phenomenon. In addition, we discuss how switching costs appear
to be changing as a result of the increasingly networked environment. Despite broad recognition of
its important and changing strategic role, we find a lack of coherence and comprehensiveness
regarding the conceptualization of switching costs and the tools or models provided to manage the
force. To address these issues we attempt to build upon and refine the term’s conceptualization and
we developed an integrated switching cost framework, mainly focused on positive switching costs
stemming from Web sites’ elements. We believe that the switching cost framework provides a powerful
and insightful lense for managers pursuing competitive advantage in today’s networked environment.
But, despite the importance of a Web site, the process of designing high quality Web sites for
e-commerce is still more of an art than a science. E-commerce companies still rely largely on
intuition when it comes to designing their Web sites. To make matters worse, design changes and
their impacts are not tracked, making it impossible to measure the benefits of Web site design
(Wallach, 2001). This situation brings to the foreground the importance of value-driven evaluation
and design of e-commerce Web sites. However, e-businesses are facing difficulties due to the lack
of proven tools and methods for accomplishing this. Customers expect a certain level of service to
accompany their purchases of goods and services. At the same time, in a digital environment,
customers expect to enjoy a satisfying online shopping experience: changing Web surfers into loyal
customers has thus become the final goal of many online firms. Moreover, elements that contribute
to customer satisfaction and to the creation of a customer feeling of positive switching costs and
thereby lead to repeat purchases include availability of sufficient information, ease of use
interfaces, general Web site usability, simplicity in the interface design, deep customer service,
etc. Yet, the Web-based retail shopping experience may differ from conventional shopping in several
ways, possibly resulting in differing customer satisfaction elements. With the explosive growth of
conventional marketers offering their products and services online, as well as new businesses
proliferating solely for online marketing, research is warranted to examine the key factors in
customers’ shopping experiences that contribute to customer satisfaction with shopping via this new
marketing channel. Research that contributes to an understanding of customer experiences with
online shopping has important implications for researchers as well as business managers and
information systems managers (Adam et al., 1999). Although marketers are beginning to understand
the innovative strategies that will attract visitors to Web sites (Hoffman et al., 1995), little is
known about the factors that make Web use a compelling customer experience or about the key
customer satisfaction outcomes of this compelling experience. Researchers have been trying to
develop and test a general model of the online customer experience (Novak and Hoffman, 1997; Novak
et al., 2000). However, few studies have been conducted to test the relationship between retail Web
site presentations and key elements of customers’ actual online shopping experience (in terms of
site design effectiveness for satisfactory customer shopping experiences). Conventional marketing
research has illustrated the relationship of customer service variables with customer outcomes such
as customer satisfaction (Bolton & Drew 1991; Fram & Grady 1995; Zeithaml & Berry
1993). Customer satisfaction or dissatisfaction is the core concept of marketing and information
systems (Kosiur, 1997). It follows that lack of satisfaction with a Web site would lead to customer
intention not to purchase from that site. Accordingly, this research attempts to analyze some
elements of online shopping experiences that influence the shopper’s satisfaction with the online
shopping experience, leading the shopper to purchase from that site or alternatively to switch to
another site.