Title: Examining what factors influence customers' loyalty to pure internet banking

Authors: Jung-Yu Lai; I-Hsuan Chen

Addresses: Graduate Institute of Technology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan ' Graduate Institute of Technology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan

Abstract: Managers of pure internet banking (PIB) need clear levers to build loyalty amid intensifying digital competition. Guided by the cognitive-affective-conative (CAC) framework, this study examines how users' cognitive evaluations of PIB - spanning technological (system, information, service quality, and security), economic (transaction-cost savings, personalised benefits, ecosystem benefits), and social (network effects, belonging) forces - shape affective responses (customer satisfaction) and, in turn, conative outcomes (customer loyalty). Survey data from 298 valid respondents were analysed using PLS-SEM. Results show that all three cognitive dimensions have a positive influence on satisfaction, and satisfaction in turn strongly predicts loyalty. These findings suggest that investing in secure and reliable digital service quality, designing cost-saving and personalised bundles, and cultivating community features that foster a sense of belonging can translate user evaluations into enduring loyalty. The study extends digital-banking research by shifting attention from adoption to post-usage behaviour and by offering an integrated view of technological, economic, and social mechanisms that drive satisfaction and loyalty in PIB contexts. Practically, the results provide actionable priorities for PIB providers to differentiate in incumbent-dominated financial markets: harden security and service reliability, embed measurable value through personalisation and cost efficiencies, and reinforce social engagement to sustain long-term commitment.

Keywords: cognitive-affective-conative; CAC; pure internet banking; PIB; loyalty; satisfaction.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMC.2026.155430

International Journal of Mobile Communications, 2026 Vol.28 No.2, pp.186 - 209

Received: 02 Oct 2024
Accepted: 17 Oct 2025
Published online: 31 Jul 2026 *

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