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1 – 10 of 294Shilpi Saxena, Vaibhav Chawla and Jaana Tähtinen
Research regarding the quality of e-tailers’ service during product returns is sparse and the little that has been performed treats returns as recovery from failure. However, that…
Abstract
Purpose
Research regarding the quality of e-tailers’ service during product returns is sparse and the little that has been performed treats returns as recovery from failure. However, that view is outdated. E-tailers' product return practices have substantially evolved and customers' return behavior has considerably increased, in turn, influencing expectations of customers. Thus, a need arises to revise the understanding of how customers evaluate the quality of e-tailers' service during product returns. This study conceptualizes customer-perceived e-return service quality, identifies e-return's current dimensions, and offers directions for measurement.
Design/methodology/approach
This study is conducted in two stages. The first stage follows an abductive approach, with a continuous back-and-forth movement between existing theory and two qualitative data sets to identify the dimensions of e-return service quality. Scale development process is started in the second stage to offer directions for measurement based on the empirically grounded dimensions.
Findings
The conceptualization of e-return service quality identifies six dimensions: (1) owning of responsibility, (2) return convenience, (3) return remedies, (4) service team support, (5) site's return friendliness, and (6) returns diligence. The factor analysis supports the six-factor solution that can be employed for developing a valid scale in future.
Practical implications
The study suggests that e-tailers who are looking to differentiate themselves through superior e-return service quality should focus on customizing their service through excellent performance on these dimensions.
Originality/value
The paper updates and refines the understanding of service quality in the context of product returns service provided by e-tailers and thus offers a novel contribution.
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The purpose of this paper is to explore the existence, role, and hidden problems associated with customer perceived opportunism (PO) in e‐return service (e‐RS) encounters.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the existence, role, and hidden problems associated with customer perceived opportunism (PO) in e‐return service (e‐RS) encounters.
Design/methodology/approach
A theoretical framework is proposed linking return policy (RP) and information credibility (IC) with customer PO, trust, and stickiness intention (SI). This study reviews research and concepts from various fields, including marketing, psychology, and information systems and derives six hypotheses. Data from online users are examined using LISREL 8.8.
Findings
The results confirmed that PO mediates between e‐RS and trust, as well as the power of the proposed model to predict e‐RS customer behavior.
Research limitations/implications
This work developed a novel customer e‐RS behavioral model to characterize the current online environment. Potential limitations of the proposed method are also described, along with suggestions for further research on sampling and model development, in order to accurately forecast the future development of the online environment.
Practical implications
The study findings remind retailers to understand the inevitability of PO and associated damage when providing e‐RS, and suggest effective measures, such as smooth e‐RS process design and reasonable fee plans, to solve this problem.
Originality/value
This study developed the first behavioral model of the existence of both positive and negative customer perceptions of e‐RS. PO is the key factor for reducing the effect of high‐quality e‐RS on negative perceptions.
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Since 2009, e-government has been high on governmental agenda in Bangladesh. Seen as a vehicle for improving governance and service delivery, it is also presented as a key to…
Abstract
Purpose
Since 2009, e-government has been high on governmental agenda in Bangladesh. Seen as a vehicle for improving governance and service delivery, it is also presented as a key to fighting poverty and achieving the millennium development goals. Thus, the goals of e-government remain broad and ambitious. Can a developing country such as Bangladesh realize its e-government vision? The purpose of this paper is to explore this and other related questions seeking to draw lessons that the Bangladesh experience may offer.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper draws primarily on secondary information, complemented by primary data gathered from various sources. In addition to an extensive review of secondary sources, necessary information was derived from websites of relevant government departments/agencies and through interviews and conversations with selected government officials having intimate knowledge on e-government projects at the field and local levels.
Findings
The paper demonstrates the ways in which various e-initiatives have transformed traditional administrative systems and practices, notwithstanding the nation’s limited overall e-development. It also shows how e-innovations have helped tackle some complex challenges, thereby adding to convenience and benefits to service users. A major conclusion of the paper is that although e-government is yet to make a breakthrough in governance and service delivery, it has set the wheels of change in motion.
Practical implications
E-government must be seen as a long term project, it must attract high-level political support and it requires fruitful collaboration between the public, private and non-governmental actors.
Originality/value
This paper adds to the limited knowledge in the field. Lessons learned from the Bangladesh experience have much relevance to other developing countries with similar socioeconomic circumstances. The policymakers and practitioners are expected to benefit from the insights of the paper.
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Paramaporn Thaichon and Charles Jebarajakirthy
The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of quality perception on customers’ repurchase behaviour in home internet services. Specifically, it was found that…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of quality perception on customers’ repurchase behaviour in home internet services. Specifically, it was found that information quality, and privacy affected customers’ commitment and perceived value which were directly related to customer behavioural loyalty.
Design/methodology/approach
In order to achieve the research objectives, a model is proposed. The literature review and formulation of hypotheses related to each construct are then discussed. An online survey was conducted. The final usable sample size was 2,059.
Findings
Information quality was a stronger determinant of commitment and value when compared with privacy. The positive indirect effects of information quality and privacy on behavioural loyalty were also confirmed.
Originality/value
The research provides practical implications which can be used to design effective marketing strategies to retain customers in the residential internet market. Moreover, current issues of high-customer churn rate can be resolved. In general, the study confirms that putting customers’ privacy in the heart of company operations is critical for an internet service provider’s success and long-term sustainability.
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Chaohong Xie, Yeming Gong, Xianhao Xu, Chung-Yean Chiang and Qian Chen
This study investigates the impacts of return channel type on the relationships between return service quality (RSQ) and customer loyalty (CL) in an omnichannel retailing…
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates the impacts of return channel type on the relationships between return service quality (RSQ) and customer loyalty (CL) in an omnichannel retailing environment.
Design/methodology/approach
Data comes from Chinese customers having a return experience in omnichannel retailing that uses the channel type of both buy-online-return-in-store (BORIS) and buy-in-store-return-to-online warehouses (BSROW). The authors use the structural equation modeling to test the hypotheses and the bootstrapping method to test the mediation and moderation effect.
Findings
For BORIS channel, satisfaction of customer returns (CRS) partially mediates the relationship between convenience and CL, and fully mediates that between CL and responsiveness, transparency and competence, respectively. For BSROW channel, CRS partially mediates the relationship between responsiveness and CL, and fully mediates that between CL and convenience, transparency and competence, respectively. The mediation effects indicate that omnichannel customers may feel more satisfied due to higher omnichannel fulfillment (responsiveness and convenience) and omnichannel trust (transparency and competence) provided by retailers. Return channel type moderates the relationship between RSQ-convenience and CL. The results show the different expectations between BORIS and BSROW customers in the return process.
Research limitations/implications
This paper serves as a pioneering study to apply cognition-affect-behavior paradigm into the field of return management in omnichannel retailing.
Practical implications
The findings suggest retailers develop their strategies on customer returns and post-sales service quality improvement in the omnichannel. Also, retailers should develop an integrated return system across channels to provide convenient service to BORIS customers and quick response to BSROW customers.
Originality/value
Studying return service management in the omnichannel from customer's cognition appraisal, this study contributes to the literature of the reverse service management by bringing in the effect of omnichannel type to explore the relationship between RSQ and CL.
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Waqar Ahmed, Sehrish Huma and Syed Umair Ali
With the growth in online purchasing, the return of distressed shipments also increased. The return experience of the online shopper has a huge impact on their next purchase…
Abstract
Purpose
With the growth in online purchasing, the return of distressed shipments also increased. The return experience of the online shopper has a huge impact on their next purchase decision-making. This explanatory research aims to identify and empirically explain factors related to the online buyer’s return experience that influence the repurchase intention of young buyers.
Design/methodology/approach
Primary data were collected from 235 active online young buyers who have experienced returning the goods through a structured questionnaire. Structural equation modeling is used for analyzing the data.
Findings
This study reveals that an online return policy leniency strongly supports service recovery quality, expected return convenience, buyer trust and satisfaction, which lead to repurchase intentions. Moreover, return satisfaction positively impacts repurchase intention while mediating young buyer trust.
Originality/value
This study is one of the few relevant pieces of research that would benefit e-tailers to improve their product return policy and compel young buyers’ intention to make a repeat purchase.
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Min Zhang, Xujing Dai and Zhen He
E-retailing grows rapidly in recent years. The majority of previous research on e-retailing service recovery has been mainly focussed on the customers’ perspective. The purpose of…
Abstract
Purpose
E-retailing grows rapidly in recent years. The majority of previous research on e-retailing service recovery has been mainly focussed on the customers’ perspective. The purpose of this paper is to examine service recovery from the operations management perspective of the e-retailing industry in order to investigate the impact of an integrated service recovery system on e-retailers’ capability improvement and market performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Empirical data consists of a sample of 256 employees from a leading e-retailer in China. Structural Equation Model was used to verify the relationship between the integrated recovery system and employees’ job satisfaction and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) as well as e-retailers’ capability improvement and market performance.
Findings
The empirical results reveal that e-retailers need to pay attention to establishing an integrated recovery system. The system can facilitate employee job satisfaction and OCB, ultimately the e-retailer’s market performance. However, the relationships between job satisfaction and OCB as well as market performance are found to be low in the context of e-retailing in China.
Originality/value
This research contributes to the effectiveness of an integrated service recovery system in the context of e-retailing and the important role played by employees during recovery process.
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Nor Asiah Omar, Zuraidah Zainol, Chan Kuan Thye, Nordiana Ahmad Nordin and Muhamad Azrin Nazri
Managing trust recovery in case of violation of halal products should be seen in light of the severity of violation as perceived by the consumer. This study aims to investigate…
Abstract
Purpose
Managing trust recovery in case of violation of halal products should be seen in light of the severity of violation as perceived by the consumer. This study aims to investigate how the severity of violation on halal directly impact negative consumer behavior (avoidance, boycott and revenge), and its moderating effect on the relationship between trust recovery and avoidance, boycott and revenge.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 212 questionnaires were distributed amongst customers who were aware and/or had experienced the violation of a halal product in Klang Valley, Malaysia – each of whom were selected using convenience sampling methods. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and structural equation modelling techniques, were partial least squares (PLS) software was used to measure the direct and indirect relationships between the variables.
Findings
The results of this investigation showed that trust recovery and negative consumer behavior are negatively related; severity is positively related to avoidance, boycott and revenge; and severity moderates the relationship between trust recovery and avoidance.
Research limitations/implications
Empirically, it was found that severity and trust recovery are a significant component that influence negative consumption behavior. This study has significant implications alongside research implications despite some limitations.
Practical implications
In a severe violation case, a company needs to ensure that the strategy to fix the problem is genuine and trustworthy, as consumer trust on the recovery action by company is significance to influence customer avoidance in consuming the company’s product.
Originality/value
The uniqueness of this study exists in the fact that it is the first known one to concentrate on halal violation and examine the moderating effect of severity of halal violation on the relationship between trust recovery and negative consumer behaviors (avoidance, boycott and revenge).
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Nadia Jimenez, Sonia San-Martin and Jose Ignacio Azuela
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the role of four important variables in the development of customer loyalty in mobile commerce. These variables are personal (propensity to…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the role of four important variables in the development of customer loyalty in mobile commerce. These variables are personal (propensity to use information and communication technologies (ICTs)), transactional (opportunism), and relational (trust and satisfaction).
Design/methodology/approach
A broad sample of 1,053 mobile customers in Mexico was studied using the structural equation analysis methodology.
Findings
The results offer evidence on how trust and satisfaction can increase loyalty and motivate purchases via mobile devices. In addition, the results show evidence of the indirect effect (mediated through trust) of opportunism, and propensity to use ICTs on loyalty.
Practical implications
Achieving customer satisfaction is revealed as the main strategy enterprises should seek in order to encourage repetitive purchases via mobile devices and customer loyalty. At the same time, companies should consider that the customers most likely to use ICTs, and those who perceive less opportunism can also be very loyal as a result of a higher level of trust when making purchases using mobile devices.
Originality/value
The contributions of this paper are: (1) to analyze the generation of loyalty in mobile commerce using a conceptual model that includes variables of different theoretical perspectives and nature, both positive and negative. (2) To provide empirical evidence from a sample of mobile users who have already bought goods via mobile phone, contributing to prior literature that has focused on analyzing the behavior of mobile phone users who do not make purchases via mobile phones. (3) To study mobile commerce in an emerging market with notable potential for growth (Mexico), which has not been studied at length in previous literature.
Objetivo
El presente trabajo analiza el papel de cuatro importantes variables en el desarrollo de la lealtad de los compradores por móvil. Variables de índole personal (propensión al uso de las TICs), transaccional (oportunismo) y relacional (confianza y satisfacción).
Metodología
Una amplia muestra de 1053 compradores por móvil en México es analizada mediante la metodología de ecuaciones estructurales.
Resultados
Los resultados ofrecen evidencia sobre la capacidad de la confianza y la satisfacción para incrementar la lealtad y motivar la compra a través del móvil. Además, se muestra evidencia del efecto indirecto (mediado a través de la confianza) del oportunismo y la propensión al uso de las TICs sobre la lealtad.
Implicaciones prácticas
La consecución de la satisfacción del comprador se revela como la principal estrategia que deben seguir las empresas que buscan fomentar la repetición de la compra a través del móvil y la confianza de sus actuales compradores. A la par, las empresas deben considerar que los clientes más propensos al uso de las TICs y los que perciben menos oportunismo pueden ser más leales, al aumentar su confianza en la compra por móvil.
Originalidad/valor
Las contribuciones son: (1) Analizar la generación de la lealtad en el comercio móvil utilizando un modelo conceptual que incluye variables de distintas perspectivas teóricas y de naturaleza tanto positiva como negativa. (2) Ofrecer evidencia empírica de una muestra de usuarios de teléfono móvil que ya han comprado por este medio, contribuyendo a la literatura previa que se ha centrado en analizar el comportamiento de los usuarios de teléfono móvil no compradores. (3) Estudiar el comercio móvil en un mercado emergente (México) poco estudiado en la literatura previa y con un notable potencial de crecimiento.
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Thomas L. Powers and Eric P. Jack
The distribution literature provides support for examining product returns from a customer-based perspective. Based on this need, the purpose of this paper is to identify the…
Abstract
Purpose
The distribution literature provides support for examining product returns from a customer-based perspective. Based on this need, the purpose of this paper is to identify the underlying causes of product returns based on a survey of 308 Wal-Mart and Target customers who engaged in product returns.
Design/methodology/approach
Structural equation modelling was used to verify and test the relationships examined.
Findings
It was found that dissatisfaction with a product results in an emotional dissonance that is positively related to product returns. Two primary reasons for return were examined, the expectation of the customer not being met and the customer finding a better product or price. Both reasons for return were found to influence the frequency of returns. It is also reported that gender, but not store brand moderated these relationships. Males had higher levels of product dissatisfaction and subsequent emotional dissonance than females. Males however did not have higher rates of return than females.
Originality/value
The research provides new knowledge in the management of retail returns by identifying their underlying causes as well as specific reasons for returns. This knowledge can assist managers in identifying the behavioural influences on product returns and in developing methods to minimize those returns.
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