The Journal of Business Science

Abstract

This
study aimed to determine whether the demographic variables such as gender, age
group, and university choice of e-customers create differences in customer
perceptions (security and customer relations) and satisfaction towards online
shopping, and how security and customer perceptions predict e-customer
satisfaction. The study was carried out with undergraduate students studying at
both state and private universities, and it was claimed that the effect of
demographic characteristics (gender, age, and school choice) of e-customers are
important and have a difference in security, customer relations and
satisfaction.

The research
questions of this study are as follows:

• Does
the gender and age group make a difference in customer perceptions (security
and customer relations) and customer satisfaction with online shopping?

• Does
the university choice have an impact on security, customer relations
perceptions and satisfaction with online shopping?

• How
much do e-customer perceptions (security and customer relationships) predict
e-customer satisfaction? What are the explanatory power and the order of importance
of each perception dimension in predicting e-customer satisfaction?

The sample
consisted of 560 students studying at three universities in Gaziantep in the
2016-2017 academic year. The survey data were collected using “Online Shopping
Customer Perceptions and Customer Satisfaction” scale (OSCP-CSS) developed by Ates
(2017). One and two-way MANOVA and stepwise regression analyses were conducted
using the SPSS 22.0 package program.

The
effect of e-customers' gender and university choice on security perception did
not have a statistically significant effect on customer relationship perception
and customer satisfaction scores. However, according to age groups, the safety
perception of the 15-20 group was significantly lower than the 21-26 group.
Also, in the group of 15-20 and 21-25, the perception of security for female
customers was higher than that of male ones, while the perception of security
and customer satisfaction of females aged 25 years and older are lower than
males in this group. As a result of the stepwise regression analysis, it was
seen that around 39% of the total variance in e-customer satisfaction was
explained by the security perception and customer relations (R = 0.622, R
² = 0.386, p <.001). In the first step of the stepwise regression
analysis, the variable of the regression coefficient (Beta) is 0.595 for the
relationship between the perception of the customer relationship and customer
satisfaction. It was seen that the perception of the customer relationship
explains 35% of e-customer satisfaction (R² = 0.354). In the second
step of the stepwise regression analysis, security perception was added to the model.
As a result, it was found that 39% of the total variance in e-customer
satisfaction was related to the perception of security and customer relations
(R = 0.622, R² = 0.386). When the other variables remained constant,
the Beta coefficients of the perceptions of customer relationship and security were
found 0.252 and 0.113, respectively. The t values for both Beta coefficients are
10,322 and 5,540, respectively (p <.001). When the regression coefficients,
R² and t values of the customer relations and security perception
variables were examined, it was seen that e-customer satisfaction was
significantly predicted firstly by customer relations and secondly by security
perception.

15-20 age group customers had significantly lower
safety perceptions than the 21-26 age group. A possible explanation for this
may be the fact that e-customers who have more internet experience have better
control of technology and find online shopping safer. Another reason could be
that as experience with the Internet increases, users become better at
preventing problems. In turn, this may lead to an increase in trust (Santana
and Loureiro, 2010; Ozhan and Altug, 2015).

Also, in the 15-20 and 21-25 age groups, while female
customer satisfaction was higher than male customers, the perception of
security and customer satisfaction of females aged 25 and over were lower than
males. This can be attributed to the low level of customer satisfaction in the
previous studies (Kim et al., 2008; Chiu et al., 2009; Godwin et al., 2010;
Chen, 2012). Female customers in this age group can be considered to have more
online shopping experience and negative security experiences than other groups.
Customers start shopping online with high-security perception, but as a result
of negative experiences, security perceptions decrease. Online shopping sites
should also be careful about this and take the necessary precautions in a way
that does not reduce the security perception.

According to the findings of the study, the
perceptions of security and customer relations were found to be the significant
predictors of e-customer satisfaction. These two variables together predicted
39% of e-customer satisfaction. It was observed that the perception of customer
relationship increased e-customer satisfaction more than security perception. It
was seen that customer relation is a determining factor in customer
satisfaction (Ates, 2017). On the other hand, the perception of security is
second to the perception of customer relations and this is one of the
remarkable findings of the study. In today's online shopping sites, security is
not only considered as strategic feature, but it is a fundamental requirement
for customers, and this notion supports our finding (Godwin et al., 2010). It has
also been emphasized that security perception plays a decisive role in customer
satisfaction, the main reason why many potential customers do not shop from
online shopping sites is the lack of security perception (Kim et al., 2008;
Chiu et al., 2009; Eid, 2011; Chen, 2012). Security is an important issue that
should be considered and taken care of for customers of online shopping sites,
and the necessary security requirements (authentication, integrity, secure
encryption method, payment security) should be provided by online shopping
sites.

This study offers some suggestions for online shopping
sites. Online shopping sites are very important for customer satisfaction
studies. These enterprises should give importance to customer relations and
security perceptions and work towards increasing these two perceptions to
increase their customers’ satisfaction. Satisfied customers, in turn, can also
increase their income.

In the future, detailed studies can confirm our
finding that women aged 25 and over have more online shopping experience and
negative security experiences than other groups. Also, future studies may
include undergraduate and graduate students or university staff from other
universities operating Turkey in their sample.