Step 2: Generate Sample of Items

After defining the constructs, they were further explored through identifying items related to each construct and developing a pool of items that were the outcome of the exploration. When researchers draw from an existing instrument, this allows them to ensure that measurement error is minimised and pooling items further contributes to validity. The researcher in this study conducted an extensive literature review to identify factors. After that, useful items were extracted from these factors. Items for each construct were chosen based on criteria such as how well a researcher in a previous study benefitted from these

items. Moreover, another criterion was how relevant these items were to the current study. Initially, there were 84 pools of items for the defined constructs (see Appendix 4.1). The pooled items were drawn to measure the following factors (the factors were abbreviated on the survey in the following way): Customer Loyalty (CL), Customer Satisfaction (SAT), Trust (TR), Social Presence of the Website (SPW), Social Presence of other Users (SPO), Service, Quality (SEQ), System Quality (SQ), Information Quality (IQ), Reputation (REP), Online Shopping Experience (OSE), Word of Mouth (WOM), and Communication (COM). Further modifications were made to the initial pooled items in order to make sure that there was relevance between items and constructs and also to check that there was precise wording for the items. For the actual survey questions, see Appendix 4.1.

The Customer Loyalty (CL) construct was initially operationalised with eight items. The eight items used to operationalise customer loyalty were based on studies conducted by Liang et al. (2011), Kim and Park (2013), Wang et al. (2011), Zeithaml et al. (1996), and Shin (2013). These consisted of the respondent’s intention to: (1) continue using the sCommerce website; (2) purchase from the sCommerce website in the near future; (3) say positive things about this website to other people; (4) recommend this website to someone who seeks advice; (5) share purchases with relatives, friends, and others to encourage them to use this website; (6) consider this website to be their first choice for future online shopping for the chosen type of goods/services; (7) provide others with information on this website; and (8) recommend this website to others.

The Customer Satisfaction (SAT) construct was initially operationalised with seven items. These items were based on studies conducted by Casaló et al. (2008), Pai and Tsai (2011), and Liang and Chen (2009a). They consisted of: (1) the respondents’ assessment of their decision to use the sCommerce website; (2) the respondents’ assessment of their experience using this website; (3) the respondents’ satisfaction with the way that this website carried out transactions; (4) the respondents’ satisfaction with the service that they received from this website; (5) the respondents’ happiness with their decision to purchase from this website; (6) the respondents’ overall assessment that the website is a good one; and (7) the respondents’ beliefs that the decision to purchase from this website was a wise one.

The Trust (TR) construct was operationalised with six initial items. Two items were based on work by Hassanein and Head (2007). Another two items were based on the work of Brown and Jayakody (2008). The rest of the items were based on the work of Kim et al. (2011), and

Hajli (2012b). Three items related to the respondent’s perception that an sCommerce website that was frequently used by the respondent was: (1) trustworthy; (2) honest; and (3) reliable when it comes to keeping its promises and commitments. The other three items consisted of the respondents’ beliefs that: (1) this website has their best interests in mind; (2) this website is reliable; and (3) this website considered the safety of their information.

The Social Presence construct (SP) was operationalised with 11 initial items measuring two dimensions: Social Presence of the Website (SPW) and Social Presence of Other Users (SPO). The five items used to operationalise them were based on studies conducted by Gefen and Straub (2003), (Cyr et al., 2007), and Kumar and Benbasat (2006). These involved customers’ perceptions of: (1) human contact on this website; (2) personalness on this website; (3) sociability on this website; (4) human warmth on this website; and (5) human sensitivity on this website. The six items used to operationalise the SPO were based on the work by Lu and Fan (2014) and Caspi and Blau (2008). These related to whether the respondent could sense others who: (1) feel interested in the product; (2) provide information about the seller; (3) provide information about the product; (4) have browsed this website; (5) are disappointed about products or services; and (6) are satisfied with the products or services.

The Service Quality (SEQ) construct was operationalised with five initial items. The five items used to operationalise SEQ were based on the work of Chen and Cheng (2009). These consisted of measures related to the respondent’s perception of whether the sCommerce website: (1) gives prompt service; (2) is responsive to its customers; (3) instils confidence and a sense of security when the respondent accesses their account, (4) understands the respondent’s needs; and (5) delivers the service exactly as promised.

The System Quality (SQ) construct was operationalised with five initial items. Four of these items were based on the study conducted by Zhou et al. (2010). These consisted of measures related to the respondent’s perception of whether the sCommerce website: (1) is reliable; (2) is easy to use; (3) provides good navigation functions; and (4) provides quick responses to the respondent’s requests. One item was based on the work of Chao-Min et al. (2007). The item related to whether the respondent’s frequently used sCommerce website functioned well all the time.

Six initial items were used to operationalise the Information Quality (IQ) construct. One of these items was based on the work done by Schaupp et al. (2009). It related to whether the

information provided by the sCommerce website met the respondent’s needs. The other four items used to operationalise the information quality construct were based on a study conducted by Teo et al. (2008). These consisted of measures related to the respondent’s perception of whether the sCommerce website was: (1) in a useful format; (2) complete; (3) accurate; (4) up-to-date; and (5) reliable.

The Reputation (REP) construct was operationalised with seven initial items. Four of these items were based on the work of Kim et al. (2008). These consisted of measures related to the respondent’s perception of whether the sCommerce website: (1) is well known; (2) has a good reputation; (3) has a reputation for being honest; and (4) has a name that the respondent is familiar with. Three of these initial items were based on a study conducted by Casaló et al. (2008). These consisted of measures related to the respondent’s perception of whether the sCommerce website had: (1) a good reputation compared to rival sCommerce websites; (2) a reputation for offering good products and services; and (3) a reputation for being fair in its relationships with its customers.

The Online Shopping Experience (OSE) construct was operationalised with seven initial items. Three of these items were based on the work of Hajli (2012a). Two of these items related to whether respondents perceive themselves to be experienced in using: (1) the computer; and (2) the Internet. The third item related to whether the respondent had been using the Internet for a long time. Two of the seven items were based on the work of Yoon et al. (2013). These related to whether respondents perceived themselves as being experienced in: (1) purchasing from the sCommerce website; and (2) shopping online. Two of the seven items were developed in this study. These two items related to whether (1) participants perceive themselves experienced in using eCommerce websites and (2) this website has relevant procedures such as searching for products and information and ordering through the website’s purchasing interface.

The Word-of-Mouth (WOM) construct was operationalised with 12 initial items. Four of the items were based on the work of Kim and Park (2013). These related to whether the respondent had heard from others that the sCommerce website was: (1) useful; (2) easy to use; (3) reliable; or (4) not worth the effort. Eight of the 12 initial items were based on a study conducted by Ku (2012). These related to whether recommendations for respondents about shopping online: (1) are useful to them (2) will affect their choice when they shop online, (3) will provide them with different advisory opinions; (4) will change their

purchasing motivation; (5) will increase their interest in searching for a product, (6) will change their purchasing intention; (7) will let them make purchase decisions; and (8) will allow them to change the items that they intended to purchase.

Finally, the Communication (COM) construct was operationalised with 12 initial items. Four of these 12 initial items were based on the work done by Kim and Park (2013). These related to whether respondents frequently used sCommerce websites that: (1) proactively communicates new developments to them; (2) responds to their feedback on its service; (3) provides them with meaningful information; and (4) provides them with timely information (Kim and Park, 2013). The rest of the 12 initial items were developed in this study. These related to whether respondents’ frequently used sCommerce websites: (1) responds to their complaints about its service; (2) communicates the activities of their friends to them; (3) sends them summaries of their recent activities on the website; (4) uses social media to communicate with them; (5) uses email to communicate with them (6) uses a phone number to communicate with them; (7) uses chat to communicate with them; and (8) provides them with interesting information whilst using the website (e.g., useful prompts or pop-ups).