The Effectiveness of Customer Service Policies on Intentions in Business-To-Consumer E-Commerce: A Psychological Contract Perspective

摘要

This study examines the influence of customer service policies on consumer purchase intentions in business-to-consumer (B2C) electronic commerce. Prior researchfindings proposed that practitioners could utilize these policies to influence theircustomers' purchase intentions. Based on the psychological contract theory, this studyconducted an experiment to examine whether customer service policies could influenceconsumers' intentions through their perceived psychological contract with the vendors.The experiment found that a customer can form psychological contract beliefs with avendor based on the vendor's customer service policies, and these psychological contractbeliefs may influence purchase intentions through trusting beliefs. These research resultsshould help web vendors realize the importance of customer service policies and improvetheir website design.