부산대학교 도서관

In this paper, we explore the conceptualisation and measurement of perceived online switching costs. Through a combination of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, the measurement items of each construct were submitted to tests evaluating dimensionality, convergent validity, reliability and discriminant validity. The results indicate five distinctive dimensions; namely, artificial cost, learning cost, uncertainty cost, search and evaluation cost and brand relationship cost. The measurement purification and validation processes were carried out using two samples from the same population comprising internet purchasers in the UK. Retail customers' tendency to switch or not to switch has been extensively examined in the traditional (offline) context, both conceptually and empirically, and in the fields of marketing, economics and psychology. However, research into online retail switching tendency is a fairly recent development and is comparatively limited, with little empirical work examining the presence, frequency or impact of switching costs, especially in an online retail context. There is some research that suggests that it is both crucial and more difficult to manage customer retention online. The reasons posited for this difference include: low to non-existent switching costs; low search costs; the availability of online alternatives; the advent of shopbots; etc. However, there is empirical evidence to suggest that there is a stickiness to online customers and that they do less comparative shopping than might be expected. Fornell (1992) describes switching costs as "all costs (financial, psychological, learning, etc.) associated with deserting one supplier in favour of another". He contends that switching costs may include search costs, transaction costs, learning costs, cognitive effort, emotional costs, loyalty discounts, customer habit and the financial, social and psychological risks experienced by the customer when deciding to change provider. These costs can be real or perceived and monetary or non-monetary (Gremler 1995). The discussion of switching costs in this research refers to perceived switching costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]