Title: Do salient e-servicescape attributes predict online brand image?

Authors: Kim Piew Lai; Siong Choy Chong; Hishamuddin Bin Ismail; David Yong Kin Tong

Addresses: Faculty of Business, Multimedia University, Jalan Ayer Keroh Lama, 75450, Melaka, Malaysia ' Finance Accreditation Agency, 12-1 Level 12, Tower 3 Avenue 7, The Horizon 2, Bangsar South, No. 8, Jalan Kerinchi, 59200, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia ' Faculty of Business, Multimedia University, Jalan Ayer Keroh Lama, 75450, Melaka, Malaysia ' Faculty of Business, Multimedia University, Jalan Ayer Keroh Lama, 75450, Melaka, Malaysia

Abstract: This study intends to identify and measure salient e-servicescape attributes of shopping websites based on the preferences of buyers, and examine if these attributes predict the formation of online brand image (OBI). This is because prior studies have not explored the contributions of websites to OBI at the attribute level. A two-level study was conducted; the first level involved the identification and filtering of possible website attributes using a qualitative approach; and the second level study involved quantitative surveys, where respondents were intercepted in shopping malls to measure the contributions of these attributes to OBI via AMOS Software. The study identified five distinct salient e-servicescape attributes - quality photograph, navigation bar, company logo, price information, and the confirmation mail - which predict OBI. Besides contributing to enrich the knowledge and methodology, the study provides practical insights to sellers that manifest the responses of buyers on the OBI.

Keywords: e-servicescape; salient attributes; online brands; brand image; shopping websites; means-end chain approach; structural equation modelling; SEM; online shopping; website attributes; web design.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2015.071487

International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising, 2015 Vol.9 No.3, pp.209 - 232

Accepted: 06 Mar 2015
Published online: 30 Aug 2015 *

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