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Service quality is increasingly recognised as an important aspect of electronic commerce (e‐commerce). Because the online comparison of the technical features of products is essentially costless, feasible, and easier than comparisons of products through traditional channels, service quality is the key determinant for successful e‐commerce. A conceptual model of the determinants of e‐service quality is proposed and discussed. Given the exploratory nature of this research, focus groups are used to investigate e‐service quality dimensions. It is proposed that e‐service quality has incubative and active dimensions for increasing hit rates, stickiness, and customer retention. The incubative dimension consists of: ease of use, appearance, linkage, structure and layout, and content. The active dimension consists of reliability, efficiency, support, communication, security, and incentives. The importance and implications of each determinant are presented.
Jessica Santos (2003) studied this question.