Development of an instrument for assessing quality of the Web site for Internet business: A structural modeling approach

Development Web-based application systems for business-to-customer Internet business requires a different methodology than traditional information systems because of the wider customer base addressed by these Web-based systems. The purpose of this dissertation is to develop an empirically validated instrument that helps Web-based system developers identify Web customers\u27 requirements and provide quality, effective web sites. This dissertation defines quality Web sites as those which are designed to be fit for use by Web customers and proposes a research framework with three Web site design concepts: (a) design to support consumer information search, (b) design to support enjoyment, and (c) design to support transaction. After reviewing Web site design practices suggested by practitioners and researchers, data for the study were collected from college students who were the potential Web users. Based on responses from these potential Web users, the research framework was refined and validated by analyses, including confirmatory factor analysis from a structural modeling approach. Results of the refinement and validation indicate that the quality or effective Web sites for business-to-customer Internet business should be based on three design concepts. The design to support consumer information search concept focuses oil relevant information, quality presentation, navigational efficiency, and helpful information. The design to support enjoyment concept emphasizes pleasing design, and suggests that quality Web sites should use pleasing visual elements, attractive images and layout, and adequate brightness. Finally, the design to support transaction concept recommends that effective Web sites should emphasize security issues, customer support, use of transaction rules, system reliability and flexibility, different payment methods, ease of transaction completion, and system response time