A relational classification of online banking customers

Purpose – This paper aims to classify online banking customers using demographic and relationship‐based variables and describe their profiles. Design/methodology/approach – A total of 421 panellists of a large Canadian polling firm self‐administered a web‐based questionnaire. A two‐step analysis was performed using SPSS 18.0. 421 panellists of a large Canadian polling firm self‐administered a web‐based questionnaire. A two‐step analysis was performed using SPSS 18.0. Findings – Six groups emerged from the analysis, four of which have higher relationship levels and two that have lower levels. Practical implications – This study provides a better understanding of online banking consumer segments and offer financial institutions relevant descriptive information on each profile. This information should help the implementation of tailored marketing strategies to improve the development and maintenance of online relationships with each of the six customer segments. Originality/value – This paper contributes to knowledge advancement in both the fields of relationship marketing and that of e‐commerce by providing an overview of the characteristics of relational customers in the e‐banking industry.