E-commerce websites, consumer order fulfillment and after-sales service satisfaction : the customer is always right, even after the shopping cart check-out

Purpose: This research identifies the critical factors of online service delivery of electronic commerce (e-commerce) websites, including website attractiveness, website functionality, website security and consumer fulfillment during an unprecedented Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Design/methodology/approach: A structured questionnaire was used to gather data from 430 online respondents who were members of popular social media groups. The survey instrument relied on valid and reliable measures relating to electronic service quality (e-SERVQUAL) to better understand the participants’ satisfaction with shopping websites, as well as their loyal behaviors and word-of-mouth activities. Findings: The findings reported that consumers valued the e-commerce websites’ features and their consumer order fulfillment capabilities. These factors increase the consumers’ satisfaction with online shopping experiences, generate repeat business, as well as positive reviews on social media. Research limitations/implications: This study addresses a knowledge gap in academia. To date, little research has focused on the consumer order fulfillment aspect of e-commerce transactions and on after-sales of online businesses. Originality/value: This contribution posits that e-commerce websites ought to be appealing, functional and offer secure transactions. More importantly, it suggests that merchants should consistently deliver personalized service in all stages of an online purchase, including after the delivery of the ordered products.