Framework for User Perception of Effective E-Tail Web Sites

This study presents the development of an empirically validated framework for users’ perception of effective Web sites for retail e-commerce (E-tail). In particular, we attempted to answer the main research questions: What are the major designs determining E-tail Web site effectiveness? How do these designs support Web users’ objectives in using the Web? Based on the concept of “fitness for use†and the reasons that consumers use the Web, we proposed that “effective designs for E-tail Web sites should support Web customers for their (a) information search, (b) pleasure and (c) business transactions.†Then, data were collected from a survey on 427 potential Web customers. An exploratory analysis was conducted to refine the proposed framework and to provide structure of the constructs in the framework to be validated by a following confirmatory analysis. Results suggest that the major designs determining E-tail Web site effectiveness include 16 factors, with 64 Web designs supporting the three major reasons for customers to use the Web.