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Journal of Business and Psychology
Published in: Journal of Business and Psychology 3/2011

01-09-2011

Relationship Between Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty on the Internet

Author: José Alberto Castañeda

Published in: Journal of Business and Psychology | Issue 3/2011

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Abstract

Purpose

Although the relationship between satisfaction and loyalty has been the focus of a good deal of research, the complex nature of that relationship continues to pose a good many unanswered questions. The present study proposes a four-way classification of the perspectives that tend to be taken by researchers on the said relationship. By theoretically and empirically reviewing these four approximations in an on-line context, the study aims to clarify the nature and strength of the relationship between these two variables.

Methodology

The planned and finally compiled sample covers 400 cases, distributed evenly between the two outlets in operation on the website www.​carrefour.​es at the time of field work.

Findings

The main conclusion is that the satisfaction–loyalty relationship is moderated by involvement and mediated by trust. Among the four approximations, the one that best explains this relationship is the one called ‘moderating and mediating variables’.

Implications

Companies must bear in mind that similar rates of satisfaction obtained for different customer sectors are not equally effective in generating customer loyalty. For individuals with high involvement, satisfaction makes a very good predictor of customer loyalty, whereas for those with low involvement the effect of satisfaction is far smaller.

Value

The relationship between satisfaction and loyalty has been amply researched, but mainly with regard to the physical market. On-line transactions have certain unique dimensions, so it is hoped that the present study, by shifting the focus onto the electronic market, makes a useful contribution to the field.
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Appendix
Available only for authorised users
Footnotes
1
An article that concludes the existence of a significant relationship stands a greater chance of being published than one that does not (Rothstein et al. 2005).
 
2
Approximately 90% of individuals expressed high or very high satisfaction with their online purchase. Therefore, when satisfaction is divided into three levels, this variable has no sensitivity for the medium and high-satisfaction groups. Future studies with a more uniform distribution of the satisfaction variable will test other, non-linear models such as those proposed by the delighted customer and ceiling effect theories.
 
3
KMO = 0.81. Bartlett’s sphericity test (χ2 = 841.4; p-value = 0.00).
 
4
For the EFA, the items formulated with the opposite sign have been re-codified. Still, there emerge two factors, which results in the final version of the scales of satisfaction and dissatisfaction using the initial formulation of the items.
 
5
After a varimax rotation, the first three items of the Appendix have loads of 0.8 or higher on factor one (satisfaction) and the remaining three display loads of 0.7 or higher on factor two (dissatisfaction).
 
6
Following the results of LaBarbera and Mazursky (1983), a distinction must be made between low/medium and high values of satisfaction for the M2 model.
 
7
The M4 model assumes a moderating effect of the involvement for the relationship between satisfaction and loyalty. Distinction was made between individuals with low and high involvement by dividing this variable by the median in the multigroup analysis.
 
8
A one-tail t-test was carried out, considering that, according to Bloemer and De Ruyter (1998, 1999) and Bloemer and Kasper (1995), the hypothesis of the sign of the coefficient must be established unilaterally, in a high-involvement condition the coefficient must be higher.
 
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Metadata
Title
Relationship Between Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty on the Internet
Author
José Alberto Castañeda
Publication date
01-09-2011
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Journal of Business and Psychology / Issue 3/2011
Print ISSN: 0889-3268
Electronic ISSN: 1573-353X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-010-9196-z

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