The role of customer satisfaction, trust, word of mouth, and service quality in enhancing customers' loyalty toward e-commerce

Abstract

Due to the rapid development and evolution of technology, the e-commerce market has become more significant to society. Numerous business owners have altered their marketing strategies to target consumers who purchase on their e-commerce platforms. Due to the increased number of competitors in the e-marketplace sector, it has become increasingly challenging for firms to retain customer loyalty. Consequently, this article aims to identify the essential factors influencing the loyalty of Malaysian consumers in the e-commerce sector. 203 individuals who actively use e-commerce were selected for data collection using the approach of convenience sampling. Using the SmartPLS 3.0 software, a PLS-SEM method was employed for data analysis. The study indicated a significant relationship between trust, word-of-mouth, and consumer loyalty. However, empirical support for the relationship between service quality, customer happiness, and consumer loyalty is lacking. After the study, advice for practitioners and prospective researchers is also offered.