By: nikky Howard
Submitted: 2010-07-08 22:47:38 | Word Count: 985
Current web usage statistics estimate the present number of internet users at a staggering one,319,872,109 (Internet World Stats, 2008). With more individuals, cities, cities and countries accessing web association technology, this figure is predicted to reach 1.8bn internet users globally by 2010 (Computer Business Almanac 2008).
According to eMarketer (2006), a reputable online statistics portal, the net e-commerce market size in Europe reached ?84bn in 2006 with predicted growth of 25% annually (Annual Report 2006). Within the UK this growth has been realised as shown by the Interactive Media in Retail Group (IMRG), who estimate on-line sales for 2007 at ?53.3bn and Attwood (2007) estimate ?42bn, an increase of seventy five% from the previous year, with similar growth rates predicted for 2008 (The money Times 2008).
Parallel to the growth of web users and web e-commerce revenue, the quantity of owned websites is also increasing year on year. Netcraft (2008), a web site that keeps track of the amount of domains owned, shows the number of internet sites has grown almost six fold between 2001 and 2008 (Appendix A), from around 32m to 164m.
For a possible first time client of an on-line company, the name, and repair or product quality are unknown quantities (Kim et al 2004). The e-client would need to base their decision whether or not of not to interact and ultimately transact on the planning of the web site and the trust that this instills.
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In keeping with a number of authors the main factor that inhibits the buyer from enquiring or getting on-line is the trust placed inside the corporate and furthermore, this trust influences the buyer’s intent to transact. (Chen and Barnes, 2007; Corbitt et al, 2003; Cox and Dale, 2002; Gefen et al, 2003; Kim and Tadisina, 2007; Kim et al, 2004; Koufaris and Hampton-Sosa, 2004; Lu et al, 2005; Roy et al, 2001).
As the pc screen is the sole type of communication between the buyer and the corporate, the look of the web site is the sole methodology of conveying the trust of the company.
For the aim of this paper, the term web design includes all aspects of the visible website as well as layout, structure, content, image and aesthetics.
Modern net style permits for an almost infinite number pages to be developed that in flip creates a great deal of scope for using skilled language, promises of secrecy and positive relationships to entice the buyer into getting from their websites. But, the average web shopper is in a position to come to a decision on how aesthetically pleasing a website is inside solely 50ms (Lindgaard et al, 2006) and inside ten seconds they need set whether or not to remain or seek for a substitute website (Roson and Purinton, 2002). With this short period of your time the relationship of trust between the buyer and therefore the website is developed. The e-client has not explored the web site to search for clues on their trustworthiness. In apply, a internet client typically lands on a page at intervals a website other than the main home page requiring that every webpage among a website should be designed in such a means as to extend the consumer’s initial trust.
There are very low barriers to switching inside e-commerce, so if consumers feel the services are of an unacceptable standard, there are typically many different websites (Cao et al, 2005). The applying of Porter’s 5 Forces (Brassington and Pettitt 2003) model highlights the weak supplier position due to many suppliers. This example permits customer switching, indicates low barriers to entry and allows additional market entrants ensuing during a cyclonic system.
There are a variety of studies inside the world of on-line trust, such as Chen and Barnes (2007), Corbitt et al (2003), Cox and Dale (2002), Gefen et al (2003), Kim and Tadisina (2007), Kim et al (2004), Koufaris and Hampton-Sosa (2004), Lu et al (2005), Roy et al (2001); but the world of initial reaction (inside 10 seconds of the buyer arriving at a webpage) and trust has been studied by comparatively few authors.
Lindgaard et al (2006 pp. a hundred and fifteen) provides a smart reason on the importance of understanding the relationship between initial reaction and trust on a website:
“In the presence of a terribly positive 1st impression, someone may disregard or downplay attainable negative issues encountered later on.”
This statement would recommend that planning a web site in such a means to increase the positive nature of a initial impression might increase the chance and intention to purchase. Van de Merwe and Beker (2003 pp. 330) contribute to the present by stating that:
“poor web design can lead to a loss of fifty% of potential sales and 40% of potential repeat visits due to initial negative experiences”
Among the business to consumer market the link between the client and seller is much more detached than that of the business to business relationship (Kourfaris and Hampton-Sosa, 2004). This detachment together with automated systems will increase the efficiency of the on top of statement and increases the need trustworthy internet design (Corbitt et al, 2003).
Finally, shoppers who are buying low price goods, i.e. under ?ten, are less doubtless to research into the merchandise because it invokes a restricted drawback solving buying call, or habitual, as no cognitive dissonance is needed (Soloman et al, 2002). In this situation, the buyer is more receptive to tiny visual clues and will decide that web site to purchase from primarily based on trust instead of through product specifications (Van de Merwe and Beker 2003).
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