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E‐services and offline fulfilment: how e‐loyalty is created

Janjaap Semeijn (Faculty of Management Sciences, Open University Nederland, Heerlen, The Netherlands)
Allard C.R. van Riel (Ecole d'Administration des Affaires, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium)
Marcel J.H. van Birgelen (Department of Marketing, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands)
Sandra Streukens (Department of Marketing, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands)

Managing Service Quality: An International Journal

ISSN: 0960-4529

Article publication date: 1 April 2005

11425

Abstract

Purpose

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Most transactions initiated online are completed by some form of offline fulfilment, i.e. the delivery of the goods to the customer's doorstep. In previous studies, web site performance or e‐service quality was found to be an important antecedent of customer satisfaction and loyalty. In traditional settings, physical fulfilment is considered an important driver of customers’ behavioral intentions. This study models and tests the combined effects of online and offline service components on customer responses.

Design/methodology/approach

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This is an empirical, cross‐sectional study across four online industries.

Findings

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In the surveyed industries offline fulfilment appears to be at least as important as web site performance.

Research limitations/implications

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Further research is needed on how value and joy are created as part of the total e‐experience. Furthermore, the importance of offline fulfilment in effecting customer satisfaction and loyalty levels for different online services needs further investigation.

Practical implications

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Online retailers must ensure offline quality to at least the same level as online quality.

Originality/value

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Important insights into the absolute and relative importance of online and offline fulfilment dimensions have been generated in a broader e‐commerce context.

Keywords

Citation

Semeijn, J., van Riel, A.C.R., van Birgelen, M.J.H. and Streukens, S. (2005), "E‐services and offline fulfilment: how e‐loyalty is created", Managing Service Quality: An International Journal, Vol. 15 No. 2, pp. 182-194. https://doi.org/10.1108/09604520510585361

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2005, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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