Online shoppers' perceptions of e-retailers' ethics, cultural orientation, and loyalty: An exploratory study in Taiwan

摘要

Purpose - This study aims to examine the impact of cultural orientation on consumer perceptions regarding the ethics of online retailers (CPEOR), and to understand the influence of CPEOR on e-loyalty intention. Design/methodology/approach - The paper operationalizes Roman's CPEOR scale and Triandis' individuality and collectivism typology. A valid sample of 949 respondents is collected via an online survey. Findings - Consumers with horizontal individualism, and with horizontal and vertical collectivism tend to hold higher perceptions of e-retailers' ethics. The higher consumers perceive positive CPEOR, the more they tend to purchase from the same online sellers. Practical implications - Multinational enterprises must understand the possible effects of cultural context on consumer attitudes of e-retailers' ethics before they can create successful marketing strategies. Additionally, if e-retailers maintain shopping situations where transactions are secure, private, and certain, e-shoppers are more likely to be inspired to repurchase from the same vendors. Originality/value - The CPEOR scale, which includes security, privacy, non-deception and fulfillment dimension, is greater completeness to evaluate consumer perceptions of e-retailers' ethics than scales using a unidimensional approach. This study further examines both individualism and collectivism at the individual level, which is rare in the existing literature.