How Customer Expectations Become Adjusted After Purchase

ABSTRACT

Adjusted expectations play an important role in the post-purchase process. By considering the changes in individual-level expectations in the post-purchase period, this study examines the moderating effects of the level of online shopping habit on the links between adjusted expectations and their antecedents. The study proposes a theoretical model by integrating the expectancy disconfirmation model and customer value dimensions to compare the factors affecting adjusted expectations between the low and high online shopping habit. The results indicate that the effects of expectancy disconfirmation on adjusted expectations are stronger for the high-habit group than for the low-habit group. Further, the level of online shopping habit moderates the links between customer value dimensions and adjusted expectations. Specifically, factors such as confidence benefits and perceived price are associated with adjusted expectations for the low-habit group. In addition, for the high-habit group, perceived equity has a positive influence on adjusted expectations, and perceived sacrifice has a negative impact. These findings provide a better understanding of how customer expectations change, and can assist practitioners in developing more effective online business strategies.

KEY WORDS AND PHRASES:

• Customer expectations
• customer value
• expectancy disconfirmation model
• online shopping habit

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the editor in chief, Vladimir Zwass, for his support and guidance throughout the review process. The authors are also thankful to the two anonymous referees who provided valuable input that greatly helped improve this study. Thanks also to James J. Jiang for his valuable comments on the data collection process.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Chinho Lin

CHINHO LIN ([email protected]; corresponding author) is a chaired professor in the Department of Industrial and Information Management and Institute of Information Management at National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan. He received his Ph.D. in business administration from the City University of New York. His research interests include knowledge management, supply chain management, quality and reliability management, and technology management. His work has been published in Information and Management, Decision Support Systems, Decision Sciences, European Journal of Operations Research, Omega, International Journal of Production Research, Journal of Operational Research Society, and others.

Watcharee Lekhawipat

WATCHAREE LEKHAWIPAT ([email protected]) is a Ph.D. candidate in information management at National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan. Her research interests focus on online business and the strategy of information management.