Web sites are being widely deployed commercially (Liu & Arnett, 2000; Robbins & Stylianou, 2003). There is ample anecdotal evidence that suggests the Internet is a fruitful tool for commercial purposes (Huizingh, 2000). However, just starting doing business on the Internet does not necessarily guarantee competitive advantages. On the one hand, electronic commerce (e-commerce) companies are dependent upon people visiting their Web sites, purchasing their products, and more importantly, being a repeat customer (Smith & Merchant, 2001). On the other hand, customers have too many Web sites that they can use as alternatives. There are almost no barriers for them to switch to another site if the performance of a Web site is unacceptable (Bhatti et al., 2000). So, in order to communicate with the potential customers through the Internet effectively, a well-designed, quality Web site is needed.
However, the implicit assumptions about the quality and usability of a Web site and the factors that influence the customer’s perception on the acceptance of a Web site are unclear (Lin & Lu, 2000; Dhyani et al., 2002). In their work, Pollard and Blyth (1999) are much aware that it is often difficult to define what gives a Web site something extra that keeps people coming back for more. As Hoffman and Novak (1995) note, little is known about how to develop commercial Web sites to maximize profit. Berthon et al. (1996) call for research to reveal the nature and effectiveness of e-commerce (Huizingh, 2000). So, it is necessary to assess the factors that an e-commerce Web site must have to attract potential customers (Smith & Merchant, 2001). The purpose of this chapter is to explore these factors in the context of B2C e-commerce.
Most studies have focused on either the basic content management of Web sites or a specific set of functions of Web sites. In analyzing the Web site content, researchers evaluate the quality (Bhatti et al., 2000; Huizingh, 2000) and the relevance (Perkowitz & Etzioni, 1999) of online information. In exploring Web site functions, there are studies on search engines (Thelwall, 2000), waiting time (Weinberg, 2000), response time (Lin & Lu, 2000), and interface (Slatin, 2001; Wen et al., 2001). Some studies look at the level of customer feedback (Pollard & Blyth, 1999; Light & Wakeman, 2001). Most existing empirical research on the success factors influencing Web site quality is exploratory in nature (Liu & Arnett, 2000; Simeon, 1999). While there should be many factors associated with e-commerce Web site success, little effort has been done to combine these factors (Liu & Arnett, 2000). To paint a full picture of e-commerce Web site quality, this chapter examines and integrates four sets of determining factors: system quality, information quality, service quality, and attractor.
Measures/metrics are the sine qua non of solid, scientific research (Straub et al., 2002). Measuring attributes of a quality Web site in precise terms can enhance our understanding and advance our thinking of the state of science. The goal to be achieved by this chapter is to determine a subset of the many variables that define a quality Web site. First, the literature on different theoretical perspectives on user acceptance of information systems (IS) and dimensions of IS success model (including ServQual and trust) is reviewed. Second, a conceptual framework is developed relating e-commerce Web site quality to customers’ perceptions, followed by a discussion on four essential factors capturing the Web site quality. Third, the implications are discussed and a guideline is set for Web interface design.