The Effect of Choice Attributes of Internet Specialized Banks on Integrated Loyalty: The Moderating Effect of Gender

There is growing interest in how Internet specialized banks that provide the Internet as a major customer channel can change the paradigm of the banking industry by securing a niche market in competition with existing banks that have a multi-channel strategy. The purpose of this study is to investigate how the choice attributes of Internet specialized banks affect attitudinal loyalty and intention of continuous use, and to identify the moderating effect of gender. A structural equation analysis was performed using 215 respondents. They have experience using Internet specialized banks in South Korea. The results of the empirical analysis are as follows. First, information, transaction, and safety of choice attributes in Internet specialized banks have a positive effect on attitudinal loyalty. Second, information, transaction, and safety of choice attributes in Internet specialized banks have a positive effect on intention of continuous use. Third, attitudinal loyalty has a positive effect on intention of continuous use. Fourth, the gender moderating effects between information, transaction, safety and attitudinal loyalty, and intention of continuous use are rejected at the significance level of 0.05. It is found that information, transaction, and safety, which are choice attributes of Internet specialized banks, are the main factors that improve attitudinal loyalty and intention of continuous use. Contrary to expectations, the gender moderating effect between the choice attributes, attitudinal loyalty, and intention of continuous use is not significant, but there is a difference in the degree of influence between men and women. Therefore, in order to improve the performances of attitudinal loyalty and intention of continuous use in Internet specialized banks, the choice attribute should be managed from users’ perspective. The management of successful choice attributes that customers want will be the foundation for Internet specialized banks’ sustainability.