Modeling Web Site Design Across Cultures: Relationships to Trust, Satisfaction, and E-Loyalty

TLDR

Web site design’s impact on trust, satisfaction, and loyalty has not been modeled across cultures despite growing online shopping diversity. The study examines how information, navigation, and visual design affect trust and satisfaction. The authors tested the model with 571 participants from Canada, Germany, and China using partial least squares analysis for each country and a combined sample. All hypothesized relationships were confirmed, and country‑specific differences highlighted the importance of design elements for trust, satisfaction, and loyalty across cultures.

Abstract

Despite rapidly increasing numbers of diverse online shoppers, the relationship of Web site design to trust, satisfaction, and loyalty has not previously been modeled across cultures. In the current investigation, three components of Web site design (information design, navigation design, and visual design) are considered for their impact on trust and satisfaction. In turn, relationships of trust and satisfaction to online loyalty are evaluated. Utilizing data collected from 571 participants in Canada, Germany, and China, various relationships in the research model are tested using partial least squares analysis for each country separately. In addition, the overall model is tested for all countries combined as a control and verification of earlier research findings, although this time with a mixed country sample. All paths in the overall model are confirmed. Differences are determined for separate country samples concerning whether navigation design, visual design, and information design result in trust, satisfaction, and ultimately loyalty-suggesting design characteristics should be a central consideration in Web site design across cultures.