Activating consumer response: A model for web site design strategy

Electronic commerce across the Internet has exploded, providing a strategic blend of marketing and technology. Projections for the expansion of electronic commerce have been consistently understated. The Internet has emerged as a means to effectively enable business-to-consumer and business-to-business electronic commerce. Its ease of use has resulted in rapid expansion worldwide to the point where the market is shifting to e-commerce. Information satisfaction contributes to consumer satisfaction, which occurs when the product or service offered by a firm matches the expectations of the consumer. In the emerging age of e-commerce this is accomplished without personal intervention and as a result presents several issues and design choices in the creation of Web sites. An effective electronic commerce strategy is therefore needed to match the desired consumer response with the Web site design. This paper explores the relationship between Web site design and a consumer's intention to return to a Web site. The relationship is defined through a model that explores the influence of information satisfaction, particularly when the Web site design is congruent with the expectations of the consumer.