Mixed-methods research developed a valid scale for online complaint behavior, highlighting consumer empowerment and resolution expectations.
The primary goal of this study is to develop and validate a measurement tool that assesses consumers' online complaint behavior. The study employed a mixed-methods approach, beginning with in-depth interviews of eight (8) e-commerce users, which resulted in the formulation of 36 item statements capturing the different motivations behind online complaints. Afterwards, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was conducted on a sufficiently large sample (n=250), revealing a three-factor structure: Emotionally Driven Complaining, Empowered and Advocacy-Based Complaining, and Complaint Resolution Expectations. In addition, the final model (Model 3), as confirmed by conducting Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), shows strong fit indices, confirming the robustness of the three-factor structure and strong convergent validity. Overall, the results revealed that the scale created is psychometrically valid and effectively captures the complexities of online complaint behavior. The validated instrument is a valuable tool for educators, researchers, and practitioners who aim to understand the motivations behind online complaints. Moreover, this research contributes to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) by promoting consumer empowerment, accountability, and transparency in digital marketplaces. Future studies should investigate the reliability of the scale in measuring across various demographic groups and its ability to predict customer loyalty and brand perception. Article visualizations:
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Imba et al. (2025) studied this question.
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