Measuring e‐commerce‐quality: an exploratory review

Purpose – There are various influences that affect e‐commerce quality which in turn affect customer online purchasing decisions. An understanding of these influences can lead to greater electronic marketing effectiveness. The purpose of this paper is to conduct an exhaustive literature review on this issue in order to help identify the main aspects influencing e‐commerce quality. Design/methodology/approach – First, there is an explanation regarding the main attributes of the concepts that are examined in the paper, with special attention being paid to the factors that are influencing e‐commerce quality and the relationships among them. This is followed by an examination of the validation processes of the various measuring instruments. Finally, the paper maps and measures all possible factors that are influencing e‐commerce quality. Findings – After the examination of numerous studies, the paper identifies the main factors that are influencing the perceived quality in e‐commerce and their relative importance. Research limitations/implications – The paper assumes that improving e‐commerce quality helps enhance customers' online purchasing decisions, having a favorable effect on transaction results. Also, the paper is only theoretical, based mainly on thorough literature review and needs further empirical support. Practical implications – The paper offers a comprehensive framework and practical guidelines for identifying and improving quality in e‐commerce. Furthermore, the results of this paper can then be used as a basis in order to empirically investigate this issue in the Greek market. Originality/value – Most studies of quality in e‐commerce have focused on web design aspects and models that measure the degree to which a web site facilitates effective and efficient purchasing. Moreover, the existing literature regarding internet consumers' behavior has not yet fully analyzed profits generated by higher perceived quality in terms of user satisfaction and loyalty.