Effects of Web experience on consumer choice

Abstract

Today, e-commerce has become a fundamental pillar in the foundations of businesses as the increasing use of internet to buy products and services is becoming more significant. In order to strive and compete in international markets, companies have to identify the factors which mostly influence web users and e-buyers. Such factors are important as companies can exploit them by excelling in them, creating a competitive advantage in the market. From this study, it was found that Maltese young adults are mostly affected by usability, trust, and marketing mix elements when buying online. Website navigation and website speed were the most elements in usability which affected the website experience of consumers. With regards to the psychological elements, the effectiveness of guarantee policies and previous purchases' experiences turned out to be mostly important when choosing a vendor. Prices and product assortment are also key influencers of Maltese ebuyers, with e-vendors offering competitive prices and wide and deep product assortments as being mostly popular. Although this study indicates which elements mostly affect the web experience of Maltese ebuyers, one should take into consideration that excellent web experience is built by all the factors. This implies that the functionality, psychological and content factors are the pillars of web experience which all need to be synchronized for creating an excellent web experience.