Gaining customer loyalty in the e-tailing marketplace: the role of e-service quality, e-satisfaction and e-trust

In today’s highly competitive environment, the survival/prosperity of e-tailers depends on their ability to provide excellent services to their customers establish successful relationships with them and gain their loyalty. This study empirically tests a model of the determinants of customer loyalty in an e-tailing context. More specifically, e-service quality dimensions and their relationship to e-satisfaction and e-trust, and determine the relevant impact of e-satisfaction and e-trust on e-loyalty are investigated. The analysis of data collected from 451 customers of consumer electronics e-tailers in Greece indicated that: 1) e-loyalty is positively affected by e-satisfaction and e-trust; 2) e-service quality dimensions of reliability/efficiency; privacy/security and ease of use/usability are shown to be antecedents of both e-satisfaction and e-trust; 3) e-satisfaction mediates the relationship between the other three e-service quality dimensions, namely information quality/benefits, responsiveness, and web design and e-trust. Finally, several managerial implications are discussed and further research directions are provided.