Study to Evaluate The Effect of Web Experience Dimensions on Pre-Purchase Decision to Enhance Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty

Sarwat Farrukh, Rezian-na Muhammed Kassim, Farrukh Malik, Shahid Khan, Muhammad Farrukh Iqba

In the current age, due to the advertising clutter, incessant messages, plentiful information, consumer’s purchase decision making has become problematic and challenging. On the other hand, because of tough competition, it became difficult for the companies to get loyal customers. There is a need for a platform where customers and businesses get together to get the solution for each other. In the present study, the solution to the problem was given, as Web Customer Satisfaction Model as a platform was introduced with web customer experience dimensions that linked to the customer satisfaction and then to customer loyalty with mediating role of Trust. Proposed Web Experience Dimensions discussed in this study were interactivity/communication, credible information, Reliability, Word of mouth, Alternatives and Perceived Easy. The Research was done in different regions of Saudi Arabia. As the data collection method was quantitative, Questionnaire (close-ended questions) with Linkert and Ranking scale distributed in different regions of Saudi Arabia to randomly selected respondents. The explanatory and causal research approach was used to test the relationships between variables. Extensive literature review and empirical studies were also used to support and answer the research questions. Structure Equation Modeling (SEM) and Smart PLS were used to test the model and hypothesis. Results showed that the Hypothesis H1, H5, H6 were rejected whereas, H2, H3, H4, H5, H7, H8 were accepted. Findings indicated that there was no significant relationship between dependent variable, Customer Satisfaction and independent variable, interactivity, Alternatives and Perceived Easy. But there was a direct and significant relationship between dependent variable, Customer Satisfaction and independent variable, useful and credible information, word of mouth (WOM) and reliability. Customer satisfaction with mediating role of Trust had a significant direct relationship with Customer loyalty. Findings showed that useful information; reliability; and WOM are the factors that could help the customers in pre-purchase decision-making. And Customer satisfaction also could lead to customer loyalty if there is trust between customers and businesses. WCSM could be a possible meeting point where customers and businesses both could get their objectives. The application of this model was done on the tourism websites.