Determining the Consumer Behavior in the Context of Virtual Retail

Abstract

The study’s main objective was to analyze, from the customer’s experience perspective with electronic retailing websites, the relationship amongst constructs of security and perceived reputation in online transactions, trust, perceived value, retailer satisfaction and customer commitment with the retailer. The research is justified by the necessity of academic and empirical studies aiming a better consumer behavior comprehension within the internet context, a space with increasing importance on retailing demand and supply. A literature review was performed, generating a hypothesized model which was tested by an empirical analysis. Data was collected from 195 consumers, and descriptive procedures, psychometric consistency analysis and structural equation modeling were used for examining constructs and relationships. Results indicated, on the aggregate analysis, that commitment is consistently influenced by consumers’ satisfaction and perceived value, and no evidence of influence from trust was found. Additionally, results indicated a consistent influence of perceived risk on consumers’ satisfaction and trust. This study contributes both with consumer behavior research and retailing management and it can become a suitable basis for facilitating managers’ decisions, or for a better understanding of the analyzed constructs.