DETERMINANTS OF CONSUMER SATISFACTION OF MOBILE COMMERCE IN TURKEY

Abstract

The concept of customer satisfaction points out the satisfaction that customers gain from working with a business. In other words, the concept describes how satisfied customers are with their transaction and their overall experience with the company. In order to retain existing customers, spread brand awareness through them and convert current customers to loyal ones, customer satisfaction is a key requirement to be met. Any business entity attempts to reach high level of customer satisfaction through their customer relationship management activities. Mobile commerce (m-commerce) are among young business entities that struggle with customer satisfaction concept known as m-satisfaction. M-commerce is the subsection of e-commerce that contains all e-commerce transactions that can be performed with the help of a mobile (handheld) devices. The objective of this thesis is to identify characteristics of m-commerce and to recognize factors that affect customer satisfaction (m-satisfaction) in m-commerce through well- founded empirical studies. Mobile user’s discernments and satisfaction are clarified in regards to versatile trade in Turkey. First, based on previous literature, this thesis builds sets of customer satisfaction factors for both e‐commerce and m‐commerce. Second, features of m‐commerce are identified by comparing it with current e‐commerce. Third, significant factors that affect m‐satisfaction are examined by employing structural equation model. The data for the study have been collected through a self-administrated questionnaire where 204 respondents from Turkey (mainly from İstanbul city) have participate. According to the research findings, mobility, ease of use, security and privacy are positively correlated to customer satisfaction while both content reliability and service quality have no relationship with customer satisfaction. M-retailors and mcommerce service designers can utilize findings of this study to know about how to improve customer satisfaction level of their customers and as a result gain competitive advantage based on a better understanding of their customers’ needs and expectations