After-sales service shaping assortment satisfaction and online repatronage intention in the backdrop of social influence

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to analyze online repatronage intention (ORI) in the context of after-sales service (ASS) and assortment satisfaction (AS) for professional services. This study also aims to study the influence of ASS upon AS. Additionally, the role of social influence (SI) in influencing these two and other dependent variables is examined. Finally, the effect of moderation on these hypothesized relationships by four dichotomous variables is also investigated.

Design/methodology/approach

A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 458 customers, who had a recent experience of ASS with their respective professional service providers, through purposive sampling method.

Findings

This empirical study establishes that ASS is an antecedent to AS and ORI. The finding of this empirical study also confirms that AS has a direct positive influence on ORI and customer loyalty. This implies that satisfied customers are more likely to repatronage the professional service and would be loyal to such professional service providers. The findings also reveal that all constructs are influenced by SI. Civil status, gender, city type (metro/non metro) and income status moderate a few of the hypothesized relationships, with city type having the maximum effect.

Originality/value

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study on online purchase of professional services which proves that ASS influences AS. Given the growth of online professional services, this study provides scholars and practitioners with suggestions and recommendations on how ASS and AS can be used to build ORI and a loyalty base. This study fills the void in extant literature by examining the interrelationships between ASS, assortment satisfaction, ORI and customer loyalty.

Citation

Verma, P. (2022), "After-sales service shaping assortment satisfaction and online repatronage intention in the backdrop of social influence", International Journal of Quality and Service Sciences, Vol. 14 No. 4, pp. 595-614. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJQSS-09-2021-0119