Title: An investigation of antecedents and consequences of consumers' attitudes towards an apparel website

Authors: Zui Chih Lee; Nancy Hodges; Kittichai Watchravesringkan

Addresses: Department of Business Administration, Susquehanna University, 514 University Ave, Selinsgrove, PA 17870, USA ' Department of Consumer, Apparel, and Retail Studies, University of North Carolina, 210 Stone building, PO Box 26170, Greensboro, NC 27402, USA ' Department of Consumer, Apparel, and Retail Studies, University of North Carolina, 210 Stone building, PO Box 26170, Greensboro, NC 27402, USA

Abstract: There is a fast-growing percentage of consumers shopping online in the US, and retailers has profited from this new channel. Little is known about how a website provides competitive advantage to a retailer and what makes a website appealing to consumers. The purpose of this research is to examine the relationship between website attributes (e.g. perceived attractiveness, informativeness), e-service quality (e.g. efficiency, fulfilment, system availability) and consumer-company identification for online information search and purchase behaviour. Specifically, this research examines the links between consumer-company (C-C) identification, perceived usefulness and attitude towards a website, as well as information search and purchase intention. A conceptual model is developed combining elements from social identity and the technology acceptance model, from which seven hypotheses are developed. Structural equation modelling was applied to test the relationships based on a convenience survey sample of 291 university students. Findings revealed that six of the seven hypothesised relationships were supported.

Keywords: TAM; technology acceptance model; identification; service quality; apparel websites; website design; antecedents; consequences; consumer attitudes; apparel industry; garment industry; clothing industry; online shopping; e-tailing; electronic retailing; perceived attractivenes; informativeness; efficiency; fulfilment; system availability; perceived usefulness; information search; purchase intention; social identity; structural equation modelling; SEM; university students.

DOI: 10.1504/IJECRM.2015.071713

International Journal of Electronic Customer Relationship Management, 2015 Vol.9 No.2/3, pp.138 - 157

Received: 21 Apr 2015
Accepted: 01 Jul 2015
Published online: 15 Sep 2015 *

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