Exploring the impact of online service quality on portal site usage

Abstract

A previous survey showed that a "portal site" is the type of place that Internet users visit most often. In this study, we employed the technology acceptance model (TAM) in studying portal sites, and identified antecedents (including information content, customization, reliability and response, and security) to the perceive ease of use and perceived usefulness of portal site usage. In validating our research model, our data supported all the individual causal paths postulated by the TAM. The results demonstrated which antecedents contributed to portal site usage and which affected perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. The importance of significant antecedents, such as information content and customization, as well as the reliability and response to portal site usage, could provide companies with a reference point for designing mechanisms and improving users' perceptions of their portal sites. Based on the research findings, implications and limitations are discussed.