Abstract/Summary

The Henley Centre for Customer Management views the development of our understanding of online customer behaviour as a strategically important component of a retailer’s performance. It has previously studied the drivers of online customer experience (OCE). This report continues this work and develops our understanding of OCE by investigating both the antecedent (pre-conditions) and consequences of a positive OCE. The study builds a model of OCE that views it as being composed of two experiential states: the cognitive (thinking/rational part of the customer) and the emotional (the feelings of the customer). The model contains a series of 10 antecedent conditions that influence the cognitive and emotional states. Three outcome variables are linked to OCE. These are the customer behaviours that result from a positive OCE and include Satisfaction, Trust and Repurchase Intention. The model is developed from previous HCCM studies and current thinking in marketing and customer management literature and incorporates 18 hypothesised relationships. The study uses a quantitative approach and collects data from online customers across the world but predominantly drawn from the UK and the US. The output includes the development of an online questionnaire to identify OCE and the validation of both this research instrument and the OCE model. The OCE model is broadly supported by the data analysis with 13 of the 18 hypotheses being significant. Managerial implications are provided to e-retailers that include insights into the role of control and empowerment for online customers; the growing importance of the ability for online customers to customise their own web pages; and the importance of contact and connection with other customers within the online retail community. The relationship between satisfaction and re-purchase intention and the role of trust to reduce feelings of vulnerability are also explored.