online service attributes available on apparel retail web sites: an

Online service attributesavailable on apparel retail websites: an E-S-QUAL approach

Minjeong KimOregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA, and

Jung-Hwan Kim and Sharron J. LennonThe Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA

Abstract

Purpose – This paper aims first, to identify online service attributes that facilitate efficient andeffective shopping, purchasing, and delivery based on the modified E-S-QUAL scale and, second, toevaluate the extent to which current online retailers provide such service attributes as an objectivemeasure of service performance.

Design/methodology/approach – A content analysis of 111 women’s apparel retail web sites wasconducted to assess online retailers’ performance in providing online service attributes.

Findings – The overall extent to which current online retailers provide online service attributesappears to be low. Managerial implications are provided to help online retailers improve their serviceperformance.

Originality/value – This study provides an objective way to evaluate online retailers’ serviceperformance and thus complement existing online service quality research based on consumerperceptions and evaluation of online service quality. In addition, the coding guide developed in thisstudy provides an easy and practical tool that can be used by online retailers for the self-assessment ofonline service performance.

Keywords Service quality assurance, Electronic commerce

Paper type Research paper

Although online retail sales account for a small fraction of total retail sales, it is thefastest growing segment of retailing, outpacing the growth rate of retailing in general(US Census Bureau, 2004). In early online retailing, a web presence and low prices werebelieved to be key drivers of success. More recently beyond having a simple onlinepresence and low prices, service has become essential for creating customer loyalty andimproving customer satisfaction (Yang, 2001; Zeithaml et al., 2002).

With a growing interest in service in online retailing contexts, an increasing numberof research studies has focused on understanding online service quality. Manydifferent scales measuring online service quality have been developed primarily basedon consumer perceptions or on evaluations of service quality: WebQual (Barnes andVidgen, 2000), WebQualTM (Loiacono et al., 2002), E-Qual (Kaynama and Black, 2000),AST (Attitude toward the Site, Chen and Wells, 1999), SITEQUAL (Yoo and Donthu,2001), e-SQ (Zeithaml et al., 2002), and eTailQ (Wolfinbarger and Gilly, 2003). Thesestudies provide useful insights about key dimensions of online service quality based onsubjective consumer perceptions and evaluations. However, not surprisingly the onlineservice dimensions identified in these studies vary greatly and establish littlecommonality perhaps due to their subjectivity. As a result, available dimensions of

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Online serviceattributes

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Managing Service QualityVol. 16 No. 1, 2006

pp. 51-77q Emerald Group Publishing Limited

0960-4529DOI 10.1108/09604520610639964

www.emeraldinsight.com/0960-4529.htm

online service quality provide a fragmented view of online service quality. From onlineretailers’ perspective, current measures of online service quality offer little guidance orinsight regarding their own performance in responding to dimensions that areimportant to consumers. How to evaluate online retailers’ actual performance indelivering online customer service still remains unanswered. While it is important toevaluate online service quality from a consumer’s perspective, such evaluations mayprovide more meaningful information when objectively assessed in reference to serviceperformance of online retailers. To address this gap, our study explores a way serviceperformance of online retailers can be evaluated objectively.

In the context of online retailing, risk theory implies that having more informationavailable to consumers reduces perceived risk associated with buying (Chen and He,2003). Many service attributes are available as information on retail web sites and assuch may alleviate perceived risk. Based on risk theory, the objectives of ourexploratory study are, firstly, to identify online service attributes that facilitateefficient and effective shopping, purchasing, and delivery based on the modifiedE-S-QUAL scale (Parasuraman et al., 2005) and, secondly, to evaluate the extent towhich current online retailers provide such service attributes as an objective measureof service performance. Since our study identifies an extensive list of all availableonline service attributes encompassing the consumers’ entire shopping process, theE-S-QUAL scale provides a useful framework to categorize comprehensive servicequality attributes provided by online retailers.

The topic of our study is important and timely given the growing importance ofservice quality to successful online retailing. Besides filling a gap in the online servicequality literature, the findings of our study will provide useful information that onlineretailers can use to evaluate their current service performance by comparing theirmeasurable strengths and weaknesses with other web sites and to improve onlineservice quality based on such evaluations. To provide specific information useful toonline retailers, a fine-grained analysis and a single product category focus was used.This strategy allowed for the performance of a detailed analysis of relevant serviceattributes within that category. According to Internet Retailer (2005), about one fourthof the “Top 400” online retailers are apparel retailers, and online apparel retail salesaccount for 9.2 percent of total online retail sales. Since apparel is one of the key itemssold in online retailing (Internet Retailer, 2003a), our study was limited to onlineapparel web sites.

Review of literatureService qualityService quality is generally defined as the difference between expected service andperceived service (Gronroos, 1982; Parasuraman et al., 1988). The delivery of superiorservice positively affects customers’ perceived service quality and subsequentlyincreases a firm’s profitability (Leung and Fung, 1996). While extensive research hasbeen conducted on service quality in traditional retailing settings (Gronroos, 1982;Parasuraman et al., 1988; Rudie and Wansley, 1985), service quality in online retailingis a relatively new topic. Whereas traditional service quality refers to the quality ofservice based on human interactions and experiences in non-web-based settings, onlineservice quality encompasses interactions between humans and technology.Parasuraman et al. (2005) posited that the way people perceive service quality in

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web-based settings differs from service quality in non-web-based settings because theacceptance and usage of technologies differ among customers with different beliefsabout technology.

Online service quality. The way online service quality is conceptualized variesgreatly. Santos (2003) defined service quality in e-commerce in a somewhat circularway as “the consumers’ overall evaluation and judgment of the excellence and qualityof e-service offerings in the virtual market place (p. 235).” This definition leads to thequestion “What are e-service offerings?” Variation in conceptualization of onlineservice quality may be attributed to the focus of specific individual research (e.g., userinterface, consumer shopping process) and the types of web sites used in the study(e.g., B2C retailing sites, web site portals, or B2B sites). Given the growing importanceof online retailing in the retail industry, our study focuses on service quality providedby retail web sites selling apparel. The definition of e-service quality (e-SQ) byZeithaml et al. (2002) provides a relevant (and non-circular) conceptualization of onlineservice quality for the context of our study. According to Zeithaml et al., e-servicequality (e-SQ) is “the extent to which a web site facilitates efficient and effectiveshopping, purchasing, and delivery (p. 11).”

As online retailing grows, service quality has become an increasingly importantfactor in determining the success or failure of online retail businesses by influencingconsumers’ online shopping experiences (Yang, 2001). Empirical evidence shows thatpoor service quality negatively affects online retailers such that over 60 percent ofonline shoppers exit prior to completion of the transaction due to factors such asdistrust of shopping and handling charges (Shop.org, 2001). Incomplete productinformation (e.g., missing links and non-working buttons) leads to customer frustrationand in turn to exiting. Given the difficulties related to the acquisition of customers inonline retailing, it is crucial for online retailers to retain customers (Reichheld andSchefter, 2000). Nonetheless, some online retailers lose a valuable opportunity to buildloyalty because of poor service quality (Wachter, 2002).

Measuring online service quality. While there has been increasing academicattention to online service quality, little commonality exists among the scalesdeveloped to measure dimensions of online service quality (see Table I). For example,Chen and Wells (1999) developed a measure of web sites, AST, consisting of threedimensions: entertainment, informativeness, and organization. Yoo and Donthu (2001)developed SITEQUAL with four dimensions: ease of use, aesthetic design, processingspeed, and security. Using consumer and web site designer interviews, Loiacono et al.(2002) developed WebQualTM consisting of 12 dimensions of online service quality:informational fit-to-task, interactivity, trust, response time, ease of understanding,intuitive operations, visual appeal, innovativeness, flow/emotional appeal, consistentimage, online completeness and better than alternative channels.

While these scales provide tools to evaluate web site quality, they do not provideenough information to allow researchers to classify service attributes completely. Inaddition, online retailers cannot easily use these scales to evaluate their current serviceperformance. For example, with WebQualTM Loiacono et al. (2002) focused only on thetechnical quality of a web site rather than the entire service quality provided tocustomers through the web site (Zeithaml et al., 2002). Therefore, such instruments donot provide a comprehensive assessment of online service quality. Similarly, the fourdimensions of SITEQUAL by Yoo and Donthu (2001) do not capture all aspects of the


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Authors Dimensions of online service quality

Aladwani and Palvia (2002) Content quality; appearance

Chen and Wells (1999) Entertainment; informativeness; organization

Cheskin Research (1999) Web site design; ease of navigation; quality of orderfulfillment; delivery

Cho and Park (2002) Product information; customer service; purchase result anddelivery site design; purchasing process; productmerchandising; delivery time and charge; payment methods;ease of use; additional information service

Cox and Dale (2001) Accessibility; communication; credibility; understanding;appearance; availability

Kim and Stoel (2004) Informational fit-to-task; transaction capability; responsetime

Kuo (2003) Online quality; information safety; web site design; content

Liu and Arnett (2000) Accuracy; completeness; relevance; security; reliability;customization; interactivity; ease of use; speed; searchfunctionality; organization

Loiacono et al. (2002) Informational fit-to-task; interactivity; trust; response time;ease of understanding; intuitive operations; visual appeal/innovativeness; flow/emotional appeal/ consistent image;online completeness; relative advantage

Madu and Madu (2002) Web site performance; features; structure; aesthetics;reliability; storage capability; serviceability; security; trust;responsiveness; product differentiation; productcustomization; policies reputation; assurance; empathy

Montoya-Weiss et al. (2003) Navigation structure; information content; graphic style

Ranganathan and Ganapathy (2002) Information content; design; security; privacy

Santos (2003) Reliability; efficiency (ease of web site use); support(technical help, personal advice); communication; security;incentive

Srinivasan et al. (2002) Customization; contact interactivity; care; community;cultivation; choice; character (web site design)

Szymanski and Hise (2000) Convenience; site design; financial security

Trocchia and Janda (2003) Performance (delivery fulfillment and transactionefficiency); access; security (trust and assurance); sensation(aesthetic aspects of the web sites); information (credibilityconsiderations)

Wolfinbarger and Gilly (2003) Web site design; fulfillment/reliability; privacy/security;customer service

Yang et al. (2000) Product cost and availability; customer service; online infosystems quality

Yoo and Donthu (2001) Ease of use; design; speed; security

Zeithaml et al. (2000) Access; ease of navigation; efficiency; flexibility; reliability;personalization; security/privacy; responsiveness;assurance/trust; site aesthetics; price knowledge

Table I.Dimensions of onlineservice quality

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buying process, and thus do not provide a comprehensive evaluation of a site(Parasuraman et al., 2005).

In the context of Parasuraman et al. (2005) research, the meaning of service iscomprehensive since it includes both pre- and post- web site service aspects. Comparedto other measures of service quality, the dimensions of E-S-QUAL developed byParasuraman et al. broadly contain all phases of a customer’s interactions with a website. Therefore, we adopted the E-S-QUAL model to capture extensive online serviceattributes available in retail web sites.

E-S-QUAL dimensions. E-S-QUAL (Parasuraman et al., 2005) was used as theframework of our study to determine how each online service attribute facilitatesconsumer shopping and the purchase process. Traditional SERVQUAL was developedto measure the quality of non-internet based customer interactions and has been usedas a diagnostic tool for assessing a company’s strengths and weaknesses in servicequality. In 2000, Zeithaml et al. developed e-SQ to measure e-service quality as anupdated measure of traditional SERVQUAL in the web setting. The e-SQ scaleincluded 11 dimensions; reliability, responsiveness, access, flexibility, ease ofnavigation, efficiency, assurance/trust, security/privacy, price knowledge, siteaesthetics, and customization. After a rigorous scale-development process wasapplied to the e-SQ scale, Parasuraman et al. developed E-S-QUAL as a measure ofe-core service quality. E-core service quality includes four dimensions:

(1) efficiency;

(2) fulfillment;

(3) system availability; and

(4) privacy.

The E-S-QUAL model also has an e-recovery service quality scale (E-RecS-QUAL) as asubscale for problem resolution. E-RecS-QUAL has three dimensions:

(1) responsiveness;

(2) compensation; and

(3) contact.

It is only applied when customers have questions or run into problems.Because the dimensions of E-S-QUAL were developed using data from qualified

respondents who had sufficient online shopping experience compared to other studiesthat used convenience samples of students (i.e. Barnes and Vidgen, 2002), theE-S-QUAL dimensions provide more representative information regarding e-servicequality. In the following section, each of the seven dimensions of E-S-QUAL (both coreand subscale) is discussed.

In the core, the first dimension of the E-S-QUAL, efficiency, is defined as “the easeand speed of accessing and using the site (Parasuraman et al., 2005, p. 220).” In otherwords, it refers to customers’ ease of web site access, simplicity of using the site, ease offinding information, and fast check-out with minimal effort. Evidence suggests theimportance of efficiency in online retailing. Convenience and the saving of time havebeen frequently considered the most important reasons to shop online (Ranganathanand Ganapathy, 2002). Difficulty in searching and slow download and display timelead consumers to leave those sites and visit other sites. With regard to efficiency,


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Santos (2003) asserted that it is crucial to provide a well-organized, well-structured,navigable site with concise and understandable content, terms, and conditions plus aneasy-to-remember URL address.

The fulfillment dimension of the E-S-QUAL is defined as “the extent to which thesite’s promises about order delivery and item availability are fulfilled (Parasuramanet al., 2005, p. 220).” Fulfillment is one of the most crucial factors related to judgmentsconcerning the quality of an online site (Wolfinbarger and Gilly, 2003). According toZeithaml et al. (2002), having products in stock, delivering the products within the timeframe promised, and accuracy of service promises are incorporated into this dimension.Yang and Fang (2004) indicated that accurate order fulfillment and keep servicepromise are primary service quality elements leading to customer satisfaction anddissatisfaction.

The system availability dimension of the E-S-QUAL is defined as “the correcttechnical functioning of the site (Parasuraman et al., 2005, p. 220).” According to Framand Grady (1995), technical software issues are problems related to purchasing on theInternet. When consumers use a web site for browsing or purchasing, functionproblems such as missing links and non-working buttons lead to frustration andexiting. Consequently, the online retailer loses a valuable opportunity to buildcustomer loyalty (Wachter, 2002). According to Santos (2003), avoiding andeliminating broken links and links to web sites that no longer exist or that areunder construction are related to the total e-service quality.

The privacy dimension of the E-S-QUAL is defined as “the degree to which the siteis safe and protects customer information (Parasuraman et al., 2005, p. 220). The issueof privacy has been a critical issue in online retailing (Sharma and Sheth, 2004).Because of perceptions of risk related to misuse of personal information, many peopleare still unwilling to buy products from the Internet. Due to heightened concern withprivacy, online retailers are becoming more aware of the importance of providingconsumer privacy policies (Ranganathan and Ganapathy, 2002). The privacydimension has been shown to have a strong impact on intention to purchase (e.g.,Loiacono et al., 2002), satisfaction (e.g., Szymanski and Hise, 2000), and overall sitequality (e.g., Yoo and Donthu, 2001).

In the subscale, the responsiveness dimension of the E-RecS-QUAL is defined as“effective handling of problems and returns through the site (Parasuraman et al., 2005,p. 220).” Responsiveness measures online retailers’ ability to provide appropriateproblem solving information to customers, having mechanisms for handling returns,and providing online guarantees. The compensation dimension is defined as “thedegree to which the site compensates customers for problems (Parasuraman et al.,2005, p. 220).” Compensation is related to refunding shipping and handling costs whena problem occurs. The contact dimension of the E-RecS-QUAL is defined as “theavailability of assistance through telephone or online representatives (Parasuramanet al., 2005, p. 220).” When a customer has a problem, a process to contact a customerservice agent is vital. Previous research has stressed the negative impact on attitudestowards a web site caused by unprompted or delayed customer inquiry services(Wolfinbarger and Gilly, 2003).

Development of E-A-S-QUAL. Our study focuses on apparel retail web sites forwhich certain service attributes (e.g., size chart) are more important when shopping forapparel than when shopping for other types of products such as books. After a careful

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examination of the E-S-QUAL scale and a preliminary analysis of apparel retail websites, the E-S-QUAL scale was modified by eliminating the compensation dimensionfrom our analysis because it cannot be measured without actual problems to resolveand by adding three other dimensions (i.e. personalization, information (generalcompany and product related information), and graphic styles) relevant to onlineapparel retailers based on prior studies (e.g., Montoya-Weiss et al., 2003; Wolfinbargerand Gilly, 2003; Zeithaml et al., 2002). The modified E-S-QUAL model is labeled asE-A-S-QUAL (E-S-QUAL for apparel) and is expected to capture extensive serviceattributes available on apparel retail web sites. The E-A-S-QUAL model includes ninedimensions: six dimensions from E-S-QUAL (efficiency, fulfillment, systemavailability, privacy, responsiveness, and contact) and three additional dimensions(personalization, information, and graphic styles). We discuss additional dimensions inE-A-S-QUAL next.

Personalization is becoming more important to online service quality.Personalization can be understood as the empathy dimension of SERVQUAL(Zeithaml et al., 2002). Giving customers personal attention, understanding the specificneeds of customers, and providing service related to convenience can be considered aspersonalization. Based on such concepts, we included both the personalization andcustomer service dimensions from Wolfinbarger and Gilly’s (2003) study as thepersonalization dimension in E-A-S-QUAL.

Information is also an important dimension of online service quality (Wolfinbargerand Gilly, 2003). This is particularly true for online apparel retailers because onlineshoppers cannot try on the garment to check fit, texture, or color. Due to a need for anadequate amount of product information to make a purchase decision, online shopperslargely depend on information available on the web site. Unless information necessaryfor online apparel purchase is available on the web site, online shoppers will exit thesite and visit a competitor’s web site (Song and Zinkhan, 2003). In addition, due to theabsence of salespeople to answer shoppers’ questions, it is especially critical for onlineapparel retailers to have necessary information available on the web site (Kim andStoel, 2005). Lynch and Ariely (2000) found that the ability to find necessaryinformation on a web site, especially about price and quality, positively influencedsatisfaction with the online shopping experience, the product purchased, andpatronage intention. Both visual and verbal information are used by consumers to formproduct inferences (Smith, 1991).

Graphic style is another important service dimension for apparel retail web sites.Graphic styles include color, layout, print size, number of photographs, graphics, andanimation. Researchers have found that graphic styles influence consumer perceptionsof online shopping (Nitse et al., 2004; Raney et al., 2003). In the context of a mockapparel retail web site Eroglu et al. (2003) found that aspects of graphic style affectedsatisfaction with the site. Since apparel is a product that requires sensory evaluation,various visual presentation techniques are important to online apparel retailers.

MethodResearch strategyTo identify and assess availability of online service attributes, a content analysis wasconducted. Content analysis is a non-reactive research strategy which allows theresearcher to learn about a culture such as a company through the media it creates. It


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may not be a veridical reflection of the company, but does reflect ideas thought to beimportant by the creators of the media. One relatively new, ubiquitous (Sheehan andDoherty, 2001), and important medium through which companies can advertise (Joint,2003) is the company web site. Web sites can serve both informational and commercialpurposes.

Sample selectionThe sample retail web sites (n ¼ 111) were selected using directories of apparel retailweb sites (ApparelResources.com, 24Hour mall.com, and Yahoo! Directory) fromsearch engines. Since the 111 online apparel retailers constituted a variety of apparelretail web sites, the sample may be representative of available US women’s retailapparel web sites.

Instrument development and procedureIn order to develop a coding guide, two coders reviewed 14 women’s apparel retail websites multiple times and developed a list of 81 online service attributes. To maintainconsistency and objectivity between coders and to minimize possible variation due todifferences across web sites, a coding guide specified the procedure for coding each siteas well as service attributes to code. The two coders then independently analyzed 13web sites to check the reliability of coding. Inter-coder reliability of 0.92 (by dividingagreements by total items) was found and thus relative reliability was established. Toimprove the accuracy of coding, the two coders reviewed these 13 web sites a secondtime together and discussed disagreements and resolved discrepancies in coding. As aresult, 81 online service attributes were included in the coding guide and minorwording revisions in the coding were made.

The coders conducted in-depth discussions about the correspondence between theidentified online service attributes and the nine dimensions of E-A-S-QUAL. Eachonline service attribute was reviewed to determine the most relevant dimension ofE-A-S-QUAL. Since some of the definitions of dimensions provided by Parasuramanet al. (2005) were intentionally general, other online service quality related studies werealso reviewed to clarify and determine the most appropriate dimension for each serviceattribute. Coders negotiated the fit between online service attributes and E-A-S-QUALdimensions until agreement was reached. All online service attributes were coded intoone and only one E-A-S-QUAL dimension. After finalizing the coding guide, theremaining 84 web sites were each analyzed by one coder. A majority of the onlineservice attributes were coded as unavailable, available in text only, or available both intext and with a picture; some attributes had specific coding schemes relevant to theparticular category (see Table II)[1].

Results and discussionA content analysis of the 111 web sites selling women’s apparel was performed inrelation to the nine E-A-S-QUAL dimensions. A total of 66 web sites sold apparel only,14 sites sold apparel and home products, seven sites sold apparel and non-home relatedproducts, and 24 sites sold all of these products. In terms of apparel categories sold, 56web sites sold women’s only, 24 sites sold women’s and men’s, 4 sites sold women’sand children’s, and 27 sites sold all of these.

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Available intext only

Available intext and with

a picture Unavailablef % f % f %

EfficiencyAdvanced search function 21 18.9 1 0.9 89 80.2Browsing optionview all 14 12.6view by page 30 27.0previous-next view (PNV) 1 0.9view all & view by page 16 14.4view all & PNV 2 1.8view by page & PNV 24 21.6all 13 11.7unavailable 11 9.9

Search engineby word 8 7.2by product category (PC) 4 3.6by product number (PN) 3 2.7by word & PC 31 27.9by word & PN 9 8.1all 39 35.1unavailable 17 15.3Comparison shopping 1 0.9 3 2.7 107 96.4Shopping cart 59 53.2 49 44.1 3 2.7Text view option 4 3.6 0.0 0.0 107 96.4Sitemap 48 43.2 2 1.8 61 55.0FAQ 64 57.7 2 1.8 45 40.5Browsing instructions 39 35.1 6 5.4 66 59.5Order instructions 66 59.5 5 4.5 40 36.0Multiple order option 14 12.6 0.0 0.0 97 87.4

Alternative order methodby telephone 30 27.0fax 1 0.9mail 1 0.9telephone & fax 3 2.7telephone & mail 3 2.7telephone, fax, & mail 13 11.7unavailable 60 54.1Order from catalog a 21 18.9 19 17.1 49 44.1Express checkout 21 18.9 1 0.9 89 80.2E-billing 15 13.5 0.0 0.0 96 86.5

FulfillmentItem availability 62 55.9 1 0.9 48 43.2Order status/tracking 80 72.1 3 2.7 28 25.2

Payment methodcredit card only (CC) 49 44.1CC and store credit card 26 23.4CC and gift certificate 17 15.3all 19 17.1

(continued )

Table II.Frequency distribution of

online service attributes


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Shipping methodstandard only 5 4.5express only 2 1.8both 104 93.7Shipping optionto me only 28 25.21 alternative address 63 56.8to multiple addresses 20 18International shippingavailable 49 44.1only to Canada 10 9.1unavailable 52 46.8

System availabilityBrowser requirements 41 36.9 1 0.9 69 62.2No dead linksyes 90 81.1no 21 18.9

PrivacyPrivacy policy 95 85.6 7 6.3 9 8.1Security policy 92 82.9 7 6.3 12 10.8Terms of use 46 41.4 3 2.7 62 55.9Recall information 5 4.5 2 1.8 104 93.7Affiliate program 28 25.2 8 7.2 75 67.6Security certification 45 40.5 1 0.9 65 58.6Investor relations 21 18.9 15 13.5 75 67.6Business ethics 29 26.1 21 18.9 61 55.0

ResponsivenessSatisfaction guarantee 55 49.5 6 5.4 50 45.0Return/exchange policy 107 96.4 3 2.7 1 0.9

ContactInteractive shopping aidlive help (LH) 14 12.6instant help library 4 3.6unavailable 93 83.8

Company contactsemail only 3 2.7telephone number only 1 0.9e-mail & telephone 37 33.3e-mail & fax 1 0.9e-mail & mail 4 3.6e-mail, telephone, & fax 6 5.4e-mail, telephone, & mail 25 22.5all 34 30.6

PersonalizationAlteration service 5 4.5 1 0.9 105 94.6Deferred billing 9 8.1 102 91.9

(continued )Table II.

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Gift wrapping 34 30.6 27 24.3 50 45.0Gift card 18 16.2 60 54.1 33 29.7E-gift card 10 9.0 7 6.3 94 84.7Online store credit card 17 15.3 28 25.2 66 59.5Free shipping 23 20.7 1 0.9 87 78.4

Suggestions for itemsalternative products 5 4.5matching products 33 29.7both 26 23.4unavailable 47 42.3

Promotions1 type of promotion 30 27.02 types 48 43.23 types 17 15.3unavailable 16 14.4Wish list 23 20.7 2 1.8 85 76.6E-mail service 88 79.3 10 9.0 13 11.7E-mail to a friend 48 43.2 5 4.5 58 52.3Printer-friendly version 6 5.4 0.0 0.0 105 94.6Catalog request a 20 18.0 30 27.0 38 34.2Account management 89 80.2 4 3.6 18 16.2Links to alternative sites 22 19.8 25 22.5 64 57.7Personal shopper 6 5.4 105 94.6

Virtual communitybulletin board 3 2.7chat room 1 0.9unavailable 107 96.4

InformationCompany history 19 17.1 45 40.5 47 42.3General company information 52 46.8 44 39.6 15 13.5Store information 27 24.3 52 46.8 32 28.8Shipping cost 99 89.2 11 9.9 1 0.9Sales tax 101 91.0 0.0 0.0 10 9.0

Size chartmeasurement only (M) 25 22.5M & meas. guide w/o picture 27 24.3M w/picture & no meas. guide 1 0.9M & meas. guide w/picture 35 31.5unavailable 23 20.7

Product descriptionsbasic (color, size, & price) 2 1.8þfabric=fiber 2 1.8þconstructiondetailsðstyleÞ 1 0.9þcareinstructions 1 0.9þfabric&constructiondetails 17 15.3

(continued ) Table II.


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EfficiencyFifteen online service attributes were coded into the “efficiency” dimension ofE-A-S-QUAL because these attributes facilitate easy access to the web site, simple andeasy search for information, and fast checkout with minimal effort (see Table II for acomplete list of coded attributes by the corresponding dimension of E-A-S-QUAL).Content analysis showed that an advanced search function was infrequently available,




þfabric&countryoforiginðCOGÞ 1 0.9þconstructiondetails&COG 1 0.9þ fabric, construction details, & COG 4 3.6þ fabric, care, & COG 16 14.4þ construction details, care, & COG 1 0.9all 64 57.7

Graphic styleBack view 18 16.2 93 83.8Side view 3 2.7 108 97.3Larger view 67 60.4 44 39.63-d rotation 2 1.8 109 98.2Close-ups 18 16.2 93 83.8Zoom function 19 17.1 92 82.9Virtual model 2 1.8 109 98.2Video presentation 1 0.9 110 99.1

Number of alternative imagesone 53 47.7two 30 27.0more than three 8 7.2unavailable 20 18.0Presented on mannequin 29 26.1 82 73.9Presented on model 70 63.1 41 36.9Presented on hanger 8 7.2 103 92.8Presented as flat 39 35.1 72 64.9Fabric swatches 73 65.8 38 34.2Close-ups of fabric swatches 15 13.5 96 86.5Alternative color view 55 49.5 56 50.5

Pictures size b

Consistency of presentationconsistent 79 71.2inconsistent 32 28.8

Consistency of image sizeconsistent 72 64.9inconsistent 39 35.1Background music 3 2.7 0.0 0.0 108 97.3Flash intro 7 6.3 3 2.7 101 91.0

Notes: a This was not applicable to 22 web sites that did not operate catalog business (19.8 percent);b Picture sizes varied to a great extentTable II.

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even though many online shoppers look for a specific product rather than browse forwhat is available (Internet Retailer, 2003b). Making searches more efficient and prompt isa critical service. At least one of three browsing options (i.e. view all, view by page,previous-next view) was available on most web sites and half the web sites had multiplebrowsing options available (see Table II for all frequencies). With a “view all” option, ashopper can view all available products in one page by scrolling down, but only a fewproducts can be viewed using a “view by page” option. With a previous-next button, ashopper can browse for products without going back to the page listing availableproducts, and thus reducing the number of pages needed to view to locate a product.

Search engines were available on most web sites. Searches could be made on thebasis of words, product category, or product item number, with less than half the websites offering multiple options. Yet, despite their availability, search engines often havelow utility (Shop.org, 2003) and fail to function with misspelled terms or are difficult touse. Comparison shopping was rarely available. Although online comparison shoppingis becoming more popular and sought by online shoppers, it has not been utilized in theapparel market (Khan, 2004). A shopping cart was available in most web sites, moreoften in text only than with an icon. However, finding the shopping cart button orrelevant text information was difficult and has been identified as an issue in web sitedesign (Internet Retailer, 2003b). Another convenience for consumers is the option of atext view (without pictures) to reduce time spent downloading pictures. However, veryfew web sites offered this option.

Online service attributes that make browsing easy were available in less than half ofthe web sites analyzed. Browsing instructions were available in less than half the websites and more often presented in text only. In addition, although sitemaps significantlyimprove the efficiency of navigation, they were unavailable in more than half the websites analyzed, predominantly in text only. Most research and industry reportsconsistently emphasize easy navigation as a critical factor in online retailing (Trocchiaand Janda, 2003) and suggest that web sites with easy to read and clear content attractcustomers to shop more and buy more (CyberAtlas staff, 2003). However, only abouthalf the analyzed web sites provided such services which make online shopping easy.

Order instructions were provided by more than half of the web sites, most often intext. A multiple order option was largely unavailable. Most web sites were set up suchthat a shopper can only order an apparel item in one color and size at a time. If ashopper wants to buy an item in three different colors, three separate orders must beplaced. At least one alternative order method was available on less than half the websites (i.e. took orders by telephone or by telephone, fax, and mail).

On more than a third of the web sites consumers could order from a catalog online,more often in text only. Multi-channel retailers allowed online shoppers to purchasecatalog items online. This web/catalog strategy is expected to help traditional catalogshoppers feel comfortable with shopping online (Internet Retailer, 2003c).

Express checkout service was infrequently available, mostly in text only. This issurprising because express checkout can make purchasing more convenient, speed upshopping, and be attractive to time poor shoppers. E-billing service permits customersto access billing statements and current bill balance and process their payments via theInternet. In spite of its convenience, e-billing service was available on very few websites. Although FAQs provide immediate answers to common questions, they wereonly available on little more than half the sites, mostly in text only. Contrary to


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common beliefs, services that expedite searching or purchasing processes were largelyunavailable. Many web sites failed to facilitate convenient shopping for customers.

While various terms are used to describe efficiency, prior research on online servicequality consistently emphasizes the important role of efficiency in consumerperceptions of online service quality. In their WebQual study, Barnes and Vidgen(2000) refer to usability to include site design and easy navigation. Montoya-Weiss et al.(2003) refer to this dimension as navigation structure. Several researchers have positedthat ease of navigation is a key dimension to service quality in online retailing (CheskinResearch, 1999; Cho and Park, 2002; Liu and Arnett, 2000; Santos, 2003). However,empirical findings of our study showed that most attributes that facilitate efficientshopping and purchasing were frequently unavailable (e.g., advanced search function,comparison shopping, sitemap, browsing instructions, order instructions, expresscheckout, and e-billing).

FulfillmentSix online service attributes were coded as tapping the “fulfillment” dimension ofE-A-S-QUAL (see Table II). These attributes are associated with the web site’spromises about delivery of products and item availability for delivery. Consistent withTamimi et al. (2003), information about item availability was provided in more thanhalf the web sites, but often not until the checkout process was nearly complete.Research (Kim and Lennon, 2004) shows that when shoppers are notified aboutstockouts after selecting an item to purchase, they exhibit stronger negative emotionsand lower purchase intent than when notified before selection. Order status trackingservice was available at about 75 percent of the web sites, commonly in text.

For payment options, more than 40 percent of web sites accepted only credit cards.Store cards were accepted on about one-fourth of the web sites; gift certificates wereaccepted even less often. All methods were accepted in less than one-fifth of the websites. According to a recent CyberSource report, the number of payment options offeredon North American web sites was directly related to sales conversion (“PaymentChoices,” 2004) suggesting that online apparel retailers should accept multiplepayment options.

The content analysis further showed that basic shipping-related service informationwas frequently available, mostly in text only. Both standard and express deliveryservices were available in most web sites, although web sites infrequently allowedcustomers to ship to more than two addresses. Most web sites allowed one alternativeshipping address. An international shipping option was available in on abut half theweb sites. Less than half the web sites provided international delivery service beyondCanada and very few provided international shipping only to Canada. Since many USapparel companies are multi-national (e.g., NIKE), the ability to ship products tocountries outside the US may be an important strategic advantage. Researchers havefound fulfillment to be a significant factor impacting consumer evaluation of onlineservice quality (Trocchia and Janda, 2003; Wolfinbarger and Gilly, 2003). Yet, ourfindings suggest that many online retailers need to improve fulfillment capability.

System availabilityTwo online service attributes were coded into the “system availability” dimension ofE-A-S-QUAL (see Table II). Information about browser requirements (i.e. compatibility

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with Internet Explorer and Netscape) was somewhat unavailable and dead links werefound on about one out of five web sites. In online retailing, the system availability is acritical facet of online service quality. Malfunction of tools on a web site has asignificant influence on consumers’ overall quality perceptions (Santos, 2003).

Although the system availability dimension was found to exert a stronger impacton consumer evaluation of online service quality than the privacy dimension inParasuraman et al. (2005), this finding was not consistent with Wolfinbarger and Gilly(2003). With the advent of more diverse browsers, a web site needs to accommodatedifferent browser functionalities. Otherwise, this may lead to consumer frustration anddissatisfaction with an online retailer. Browser requirement information may minimizethe detrimental impact of browser incompatibility on consumer evaluations of servicequality.

PrivacyEight service attributes were coded into the “privacy” dimension of E-A-S-QUAL.Since this dimension is related to the protection of personal information associatedwith risk perceptions of online shopping, service attributes that facilitate improvementof consumer trust and safety in relation to the online shopping process were integratedin this dimension (see Table II).

The content analysis showed that both privacy and security policies were oftenavailable, predominantly in text only. This is not surprising since numerous studieshave shown that these are major consumer concerns (e.g. Hoffman et al., 1999). Lessthan half the sample web sites included terms of use information, affiliate programinformation, or security certification. Although availability of security certification(e.g. VeriSign) can help establish consumer confidence (REPTAG.com, 2000) andincrease willingness to provide personal information (Wang et al., 2004), it wasinfrequently available. Recall information was seldom found. Pictures were rarely usedto provide policy-related information addressing consumers’ concerns. Informationabout investor relations and business ethics were unavailable in more than half of thesample web sites. Yet this type of information could help reduce perceived risks.Making online service attributes available that reduce consumers’ concerns (e.g.explicit privacy and security policy) and increase confidence (e.g. business ethnics) iscritical for success of online retailing, especially for retailers without strong brandnames (McKnight et al., 1998).

Privacy has received considerable academic attention in online retailing (i.e.Loiacono et al., 2002; Madu and Madu, 2002; Yoo and Donthu, 2001). Although someresearchers found that privacy and security did not significantly influence perceptionsof web site quality (Wolfinbarger and Gilly, 2003) or satisfaction with the web site (Kimand Stoel, 2004), much research supports the importance of privacy/security in onlineretailing (Barnes and Vidgen, 2000; Ranganathan and Ganapathy, 2002; Santos, 2003;Szymanski and Hise, 2000). Beyond perceptions of service quality, Ranganathan andGanapathy found that privacy and security have significant impact on purchase intent.Our findings suggest that most online retailers are doing a reasonable job in providinginformation about privacy and security policies, but tend to miss the opportunity topromote the sense of credibility in their customers’ minds by posting securitycertification or sharing their business ethics with customers on their web sites.


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ResponsivenessTwo online service attributes were coded into the “responsiveness” dimension ofE-A-S-QUAL because they reflected a company’s willingness to help customers andprovide prompt service when consumers have questions and/or problems (see Table II).Satisfaction guarantee information was available on over half the web sites, often intext only. Return and exchange policy information were frequently available, mostly intext only. In online apparel retailing, the inability to touch and feel the product prior topurchase is the biggest barrier to purchasing. Provision of return and exchangepolicies may make consumers feel more comfortable purchasing online because suchpolicies reduce risk (Dubbs, 2001).

The responsiveness dimension in E-A-S-QUAL is a much narrower concept thanresponsiveness in traditional SERVQUAL. Most prior research has failed toincorporate this dimension that focuses on proactive problem handling (e.g.,satisfaction guarantee).

ContactTwo online service attributes were coded into the “contact” dimension of E-A-S-QUAL(see Table II). Although some large online retailers like J Crew and Lands’ End haveemphasized potential benefits of interactive help to improve customer service,interactive shopping aids (i.e. live help or instant help library) were largely unavailable.Lands’ End offered Lands’ End Livee to connect their customers with an onlinepersonal shopper to help customers with product ideas, selections, and any problemsthat may arise during shopping and purchasing online. Several types of companycontact information were available; both telephone number and email addresses wereavailable on about a third of the web sites and roughly another third provided emailaddresses, telephone number, fax number, and mailing addresses.

PersonalizationEighteen online service attributes were coded into the “personalization” dimension ofE-A-S-QUAL because they facilitate specific needs of individual customers (seeTable II). Personalization can be understood as the empathy dimension of traditionalSERVQUAL (Zeithaml et al., 2002). Content analysis showed that alteration servicewas seldom available. Deferred billing service was also seldom available. Giftwrapping service was available on about half the web sites, more often in text only.Although gift wrapping is an important element of customer service along with othergift-related services such as gift suggestions (Internet Retailer, 2003d), nearly half theweb sites failed to offer a gift wrapping service. Gift cards were available for purchaseon about three-fourths of the web sites, often with a picture of a gift card, while e-giftcard service was seldom available. Online store credit cards were available in less thanhalf the web sites, often with a picture of a store credit card. Free shipping wasinfrequently available, although industry reports show that free shipping is effectiveand has been used successfully by several online retailers such as Amazon.com (Khan,2003).

As a browsing-related personalization service attribute, item suggestions wereprovided on about half the web sites, suggesting alternative products, matching items,or both alternative and matching items. Some promotions such as clearance, newarrivals, best sellers, and/or sales were available on nearly all web sites. Over half the

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web sites offered two or more promotions. A wish list service was seldom available,more often in text only. Email service was frequently available and commonly in textonly. Email to a friend service was available on nearly half the web sites,predominantly in text. This kind of service is akin to personal information sourcessuch as word-of-mouth. Word-of-mouth communication is perceived as a crediblesource of information and thus has a significant influence on one’s purchasedecision-making and a company’s reputation (Day, 1980). Thus, providing such anopportunity to consumers might be smart for online retailers. A printer friendlyversion of web sites was rarely available. Online catalog request was available inroughly half the web sites, more often with a picture of a catalog cover page. Accountmanagement service was frequently available, more often in text only.

Service attributes that may promote entertainment in shopping were infrequentlyavailable despite an increasing attention to the hedonic aspect of online shopping(Eroglu et al., 2001). Links to alternative sites were available on less than half the websites, more often with a picture. Personal shoppers were seldom available. Virtualcommunities (i.e. bulletin boards or chat rooms) were almost never available.

Overall, service attributes that accommodate individuals’ specific needs were oftenunavailable in many web sites. Unlike store shopping, customers cannot easily requestspecific services due to the absence of salespeople in online retailing. Accordingly,online retailers may want to anticipate needed services and make them available beforethey are sought after.

InformationSeven online service attributes were coded into the “information” dimension ofE-A-S-QUAL. According to Huizingh (2000), information can be classified intocommercial information (e.g., company information, mission statement, and financialstatement) and non-commercial information (e.g. prices, product descriptions, andspecifications) in the context of online retailing (see Table II).

With regard to commercial information, company history was found in about halfthe web sites, frequently with a picture. General company information was very oftenavailable and store information was frequently available. Except for general companyinformation, most service attributes which increase familiarity with a company orbrand name were infrequently available. Yet this type of information could help reduceperceived risks.

The addition of a picture to augment text information about service positivelyinfluences consumer attitudes toward services and behavioral intent to use the serviceby making service more real and experiential (Koernig, 2003). Physical buildings andfacilities influence consumer confidence in traditional retailing (Doney and Cannon,1997), and similar effects are likely to hold in online retailing. Therefore, the use of apicture of a company’s founder, a physical building, employees, or business partnersmay be beneficial for online retailers in the absence of a physical presence. However,pictures were found infrequently in web sites analyzed.

With regard to non-commercial information, shipping cost and sales tax werealmost always available, mostly in text only. This is basic information necessary tomake a purchase decision and thus should be provided in all web sites. Size charts wereoften available. Four types of size charts were found; measurements and measurementguides with a picture, measurements and measurement guides without a picture,


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measurements without a picture, and measurements with a picture. No sizeinformation could be found on nearly one-fourth of the web sites. This is surprising,given the non-standard sizing in US womenswear. The details of product descriptionsvaried across web sites. Two web sites provided only color, size, and price information(i.e. the minimum information needed to make an apparel purchase). About half theweb sites provided more information such as fabric/fiber information, style andconstruction details, care instructions, and country of origin. Since information reducesperceived risk associated with nonstore apparel purchasing (Kim and Lennon, 2000),online retailers could easily provide this information to reduce online shoppers’perceived risks. In their WebQual study, Barnes and Vidgen (2000) asserted that website information is critical in affecting perceived web site quality.

Graphic styleA total of 21 online service attributes were coded into the “graphic style” dimension ofE-A-S-QUAL. These attributes are generally related to visual presentation of products(see Table II). Previous researchers have studied graphic style of the site (e.g.,animation, print size, layout, and number of photos) and found that graphics have aneffect on customer perceptions of online shopping and play an important role inattracting, sustaining, and retaining customers at the site (Nitse et al., 2004; Raney et al.,2003).

In the context of product evaluation on web sites, the “graphic style” dimension ismore critical to online apparel retailers than to online retailers of travel or books due tothe nature of apparel. For example, apparel has to fit properly, blend well with skintones, perform properly, and for most people, convey fashionability. Each of thesecharacteristics can be evaluated best in person, but can also be evaluated remotely ifenough information about the item is available. The results of our study revealed thatmany alternative views or tools known to facilitate effective online product evaluationwere virtually unavailable in the apparel web sites analyzed.

A back view was seldom available and a side view was almost never available. Alarger view was more frequently available than a back or side view, but still on onlyabout half the web sites. Technologies for product presentation (e.g. 3-D rotation,close-ups of a product photo, zoom function, a virtual model, and video presentation)were rarely available. Yet in a recent survey, 73 percent of respondents reported thatzoom technology was very important in online shopping (Millard Group, 2004). Onealternative image of a single product was most often available (about half of the websites), followed by two alternative images (about one-fourth of the web sites) of a singleproduct. No alternative product images were available on about one-fifth of the websites, while more than three alternative images were seldom available. Products weremore frequently shown on a model than flat, on a mannequin, or on a hanger, indescending order of frequency. Pictures of fabric swatches were available on a majorityof the web sites, while close-ups of swatches were seldom available. Alternative colorviews with which shoppers could see an item in different color by clicking icons wereavailable on half the web sites. On the remaining web sites, consumers could view anitem in only one color. These results are surprising given the critical nature of visualproduct presentation in apparel shopping. Extremely few web sites employed morethan one alternative view or technology to enhance the experiential aspect of onlineshopping.

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Picture sizes substantially varied across web sites in that a small picture in one sitecould be the same size as a large picture in another retailer’s web site. Small picturesizes ranged from 100 £ 100 pixels to 500 £ 534 pixels. Large picture sizes ranged from164 £ 173 to 800 £ 600 pixels. For presentation mode and image sizes across productcategories within a company, about three-fourths of the web sites used a consistentmanner of product presentation (i.e. a model presented products across all productcategories), and somewhat fewer web sites used a consistent image size across productcategories within a company. Background music and flash intro were seldom available.

According to Kotler (1974), atmospheric cues such as colors, graphics, and designproduce certain emotional effects on the consumer that enhance purchase probability.In a similar vein, Ko and Rhee (1994) suggested that product displays can lureconsumers into making impulse purchases. Montoya-Weiss et al. (2003) found thatgraphic styles of the web site influence online channel use and overall satisfaction byreducing security risk perceptions. In spite of the advantages, very few web sitesoffered service attributes related to the graphic styles dimension, other thanpresentation on a mannequin, some type of alternative image, and fabric swatches.

ImplicationsOur exploratory research identified the extent to which online service attributes wereavailable in apparel retail web sites using the nine dimensions of the E-A-S-QUALmodel modified from E-S-QUAL (Parasuraman et al., 2005) and other previous studies(e.g., Huizingh, 2000; Montoya-Weiss et al., 2003; Zeithaml et al., 2002). Our findingscomplement the existing literature on online service quality by examining onlineretailers’ current service performance in terms of the provision of online serviceattributes. Prior research identified important online service dimensions based onconsumer perceptions and evaluations and developed a variety of scales to measureonline service quality. We adopted and modified one of the most comprehensivemodels of online service quality and objectively evaluated how online retailers areaddressing service dimensions important to their customers.

Although we cannot make conclusive inferences about online service qualitywithout actually comparing to consumer perceptions and evaluations of the web sites,the overall extent to which current online retailers provide online service attributesappears to be low. However, the online apparel retailers selected as Internet Retailer’sBest of the Web, 2005 (EddieBauer.com, Landsend.com, LLBean.com,NeimanMarcus.com, Nordstrom.com, and SaksfifthAvenue.com) (Internet Retailer,2004) provided the most online service attributes in our content analysis. This suggeststhat some online retailers need to provide more online service attributes to meetcustomers’ expectations of services in online retailing. An evaluation of online retailers’service performance can be used in conjunction with consumers’ evaluations of onlineservice quality to provide a more complete picture of online service quality.

The coding guide developed for this study provides a comprehensive, yetconvenient tool to objectively evaluate online service performance. Online retailers caneasily implement this tool to compare their current performance in providing relevantservice attributes to their benchmark and identify their strengths and weaknessesacross different dimensions of online service quality. Depending on their needs, onlineretailers can easily modify this tool to make a self-assessment of service performanceby eliminating unnecessary service attributes and adding additional service attributes


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relevant to them. However, service performance evaluation based solely on theavailability of online service attributes provides an incomplete picture of online servicequality. Consumers’ service quality perceptions are evaluated not only by the outcomeof a service, but also by the process of service delivery (Parasuraman et al., 1988).Therefore, provision of online service attributes alone may not enhance consumers’perceptions of online service. Online retailers need to pay attention not only toproviding important online service attributes, but also to ensuring the successfulexecution of service.

Managerial implicationsThe findings of our study provide online apparel retailers with important practicalinformation. As a first step to improve online service quality, online apparel retailersneed to make sure that they facilitate each of the following online service dimensionswhich affect consumer perceptions and evaluations of online service quality.

Efficiency. In order to improve the efficiency of online shopping and purchasing,online retailers need to provide a versatile search engine that is robust with diverseterms that consumers are likely to use and also to offer an advanced search function toexpedite the search process. The provision of a sitemap can further streamline thesearch process. With regard to a browsing option, it is important to reduce the numberof pages online shoppers need to access to browse for items and make purchases. It isalso important to provide browsing and order instructions to make shopping andpurchasing easy. During the purchase process, express checkout is essential for aconvenient online shopping experience. With the increasing popularity of multichannelshopping, adding an “order from catalog” function will make online shopping easierand more convenient. Online retailers also need to provide alternative order methodsfor shoppers who are more comfortable ordering by telephone or other methods.

Fulfillment. To enhance online retailers’ ability to fulfill orders, online retailers needto provide in-stock status information and to offer order status/tracking information. Ifan online shopper is notified about the unavailability of an item after selecting an itemto purchase, there is a strong negative impact on future patronage intention (Kim andLennon, 2004). Online retailers need to post item availability information early in theprocess to minimize the adverse impact of stockouts. Information about when anout-of-stock item will be restocked should also be provided. Order status/trackinginformation will alleviate some concerns related to the delivery of merchandise. Onlineretailers should also expand their ability to handle multiple payment options beyondcredit card only.

System availability. Although many shoppers use Internet Explorer, significantnumbers are using Netscape and new browsers are expected soon. The best solution isto make web sites compatible with different browsers, but at a minimum, onlineretailers should provide browser requirement information. This information should beeasily found early in the shopping process. Otherwise, consumers may not realize theproblem of system incompatibility and thus blame a company for the malfunctioningweb site. This is likely to lead to poor online shopping experiences and thusdissatisfaction with an online retailer. Dead links evoke negative impressions of theweb site in consumers’ minds. Online retailers need to make sure that their web site isup-to-date such that all links are current and available. If online retailers need systemmaintenance, they need to announce necessary maintenance in advance and have such

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information with an accurate time schedule available on a main page duringmaintenance. Also, system maintenance should be scheduled when web site traffic isslowest. An unavailable web site is directly related to lost sales. Therefore, onlineretailers need to monitor dead links and system availability.

Privacy. Most online retailers currently provide information about privacy andsecurity. For all online retailers, this is “must have” information. Often times, despite itsavailability, privacy and security statements are difficult to read because they arewritten in small fonts using technical language. It would be useful for online retailers toprovide a brief version of such statements so that online consumers can quickly andeasily understand privacy and security policies. A full version of such statements needsto be available by clicking a button for those who need more detailed information.Another suggestion is to use security certification (e.g. Verisign, BBB), especially ifonline retailers do not have well-known brand names. Online retailers also need to sharetheir business ethics with shoppers. Such information can affect consumer perception ofa company and in the long run, generate a positive company image.

Responsiveness. Most current online retailers make return/exchange policyinformation available to their customers. If it is in line with a company’s businessphilosophy, we strongly suggest that online retailers offer satisfaction guarantees.This may reduce consumer perception of risks associated with online shopping andthus encourage purchasing.

Contact. When customers have a problem, they need a prompt response from acompany and a reasonable solution. We suggest that online retailers provide at leasttwo ways (email and telephone) for customers to contact a company. More importantly,online retailers need to provide prompt responses to customer emails. Otherwise,having such contact information available is pointless. Voss (2003) found that whileonline shoppers expect prompt email responses from online retailers (e.g., one workingday), less than half the email responses were within one day and more than 40 percenttook over one week to respond or did not respond at all. With telephone contact, if acompany’s customer service telephone line is available only during business hours, itshould be clearly posted on the web site. Some big retailers (e.g., Coldwater Creek) haveadopted “Live help” to provide instant help to customers with questions. Afterassessing customer need of such functions and financial capability of their owncompany, online retailers may decide whether to implement live help, instant libraryhelp, or to work with customers with questions or problems in other ways.

Personalization. Our findings suggest that many online retailers are doing a poorjob in this service dimension. Some main suggestions are related to gifts. Gift itemsincluding gift cards are one of the most sellable items online (Internet Retailer, 2003d).Thus, online retailers need to offer gift cards and also to provide gift wrapping service.If a customer has to receive an item, wrap it, and send it to someone, it is veryinconvenient. If an online retailer offers such services, a customer can order an itemonline and the item will be nicely wrapped and directly shipped to the recipient. Inorder to promote cross selling and up selling, online retailers can provide suggestionsfor items (alternative or matching products). If financially feasible, online retailers mayprovide free shipping. This will be effective in attracting new purchasers. Somecompanies offer free shipping if items purchased are over a certain amount of money.Online retailers can strategically use free shipping to encourage shoppers to purchaseonline.


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Information. Online retailers can use information about their companies to buildrelationships and to reduce perceived risks associated with online purchases. Forbrick-and-click companies, it is important to provide store information on their web sitebecause many shoppers cross shop. For online apparel retailers, it is critical to providedetailed product information and size charts because customers can not physicallyexamine an item prior to purchase, but they do need an adequate amount ofinformation to make a purchase decision.

Graphic style. This service dimension is particularly important for online apparelretailers due to its product characteristics that require sensory evaluation. The key is tohelp customers get an adequate amount of product information needed to make apurchase decision. Online retailers need to determine what types of visual presentationtechniques are most effective for their customers and then to incorporate severalpossible techniques to enhance online shopping experiences. A larger view is necessaryfor items like apparel. Zoom functions and close-ups are useful to minimizedisadvantages of online apparel shopping compared to instore shopping wherecustomers can physically touch, feel, and try on products. Due to the financialobligation involved with some technology, online retailers need to carefully selectavailable techniques to enhance visual presentation of products.

To summarize, nonstore retailing entails more perceived risk than instore retailing(Kwon et al., 1991; Miyazaki and Fernandez, 2001). Research evidence suggests thatinformation available in nonstore retailing can reduce perceived risk and subsequentlyincrease consumer purchase intention (Kim and Lennon, 2000). Risk theory applied toonline shopping proposes that the risk associated with buying may be alleviated tosome extent by providing more information to consumers. Results of our study suggestthat online apparel retailers could easily provide more information. For example, theprovision of sitemaps, FAQs, company contact information, size charts, or companyinformation does not cost much compared to its potential benefits such as reducedperceived risk. Although other service attributes such as zooming technology and livehelp probably require substantial financial commitment, online retailers need toperform cost and benefit analyses and assess financial feasibility. Wheneverfinancially feasible, they need to offer online service attributes that satisfy consumerneed of adequate information when shopping online.

LimitationsThis research has several limitations. First, online service attributes identified in thisresearch were isolated from women’s apparel web sites; thus, some of these attributesmay not be applicable to other product categories. Future research may need toreplicate this study using retail web sites selling different product categories. Thesecond limitation is that the evaluation of online service performance based onpresence or absence of online service attributes, while objective, provides anincomplete view of online service quality. Future researchers may wish to have onlinecustomers rate the service attributes on importance from the perspective of customerservice. Third, in this study, we categorized online service attributes into the ninedimensions of E-A-S-QUAL. Future research employing exploratory and confirmatoryfactor analysis to verify the categorization of online service attributes into thedimensions is recommended.

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Note

1. A complete list of web sites analyzed is available from the first author.

Web sitewww.emarketer.com (2004), “Payment choices lead to more sales online”, available at: www.

emarketer.com/Article.aspx?1002819 (accessed August 14, 2004).

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About the authorsMinjeong Kim is an assistant professor in the Merchandising Management Program in theDepartment of Design and Human Environment at Oregon State University. Dr. Kim receivedher PhD from The Ohio State University and has published in International Journal of RetailDistribution and Management, Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal, and Clothingand Textiles Research Journal. Her research interests include consumer behaviors in electroniccommerce, service quality both on and offline, and multi-channel retailing strategy.

Jung-Hwan Kim is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Consumer Sciences at The OhioState University. She graduated with her Masters in Home Economics from the SookMyungWomen’s University in Seoul, Korea. Her current research interests include consumer shoppingbehaviors, e-commerce and e-marketing, consumer relationship marketing, and socialresponsibility associated with body image.

Sharron J. Lennon is a professor in the Merchandising program in the Department ofConsumer Sciences at The Ohio State University. Her doctorate is from Purdue University. Herresearch has appeared in Psychology and Marketing, Semiotica, Journal of Consumer Marketing,Journal of Law and Inequality, Journal of Small Business Research, Dress, Family and ConsumerSciences Research Journal, Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, International Journal ofRetailing and Distribution Management, Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles,and Journal of the Textile Institute. Her research interests include consumer behavior, online andtelevision shopping, customer service, and online visual merchandising.


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