Using E‐S‐QUAL to measure internet service quality of e‐commerce web sites in Greece

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the applicability of the electronic service quality measurement instrument E‐S‐QUAL and its factor structure in the context of e‐commerce in Greece. Also, to investigates the effects of E‐S‐QUAL factors on customer perceived overall quality, value and loyalty.

Design/methodology/approach

Field research was conducted by using a structured questionnaire, utilizing the E‐S‐QUAL model and replicating the work of the model's developers. Principal component analysis, reliability tests and multiple regression analyses were performed to both confirm the scale factor structure and answer the research questions.

Findings

The analysis of the research data confirmed the four factor structure of E‐S‐QUAL in the context of e‐commerce in Greece and produced similar results to those of the initial research. Efficiency was proved to be the highest ranked dimension since it has a significant positive effect on all three dependent variables, namely perceived overall quality, value and loyalty. Privacy has a positive significant effect on both perceived overall quality and value. Fulfillment was found to have a significant positive effect only on perceived overall quality, while service availability affects positively only perceived value.

Originality/value

The present study contributes to the examination of E‐S‐QUAL's applicability in different settings and to the verification of its factor structure. Moreover, the study provides useful insight into the effect of electronic service quality on customer perceived value and loyalty.

Citation

Santouridis, I., Trivellas, P. and Tsimonis, G. (2012), "Using E‐S‐QUAL to measure internet service quality of e‐commerce web sites in Greece", International Journal of Quality and Service Sciences, Vol. 4 No. 1, pp. 86-98. https://doi.org/10.1108/17566691211219751