Boosting repurchase rates in B2C e-commerce: the role of customer satisfaction and relationship factors

This study examines the impact of critical factors on customer behavior in the B2C e-commerce sector, particularly focusing on e-customer satisfaction, electronic word-of-mouth (e-WOM), e-service quality, electronic trust (e-trust), perceived value, and the intention to repurchase. Using a structured questionnaire, data were collected from 418 respondents in Jakarta Province, Indonesia, and analyzed via Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) 4.0. The research confirms the significant influence of all 13 hypothesized relationships on the tested variables, both directly and through mediating effects. Key findings reveal that e-customer satisfaction, e-WOM, e-service quality, e-trust, and perceived value serve as critical mediating factors that significantly shape repurchase intentions. Specifically, e-customer satisfaction has been identified as a crucial moderating variable, enhancing the direct effects of other factors on repurchase intentions. Furthermore, the study underscores the paramount importance of e-service quality and e-trust in fostering a positive perceived value among customers, which in turn enhances e-customer satisfaction and encourages repeat purchases. These insights provide valuable strategic perspectives for online retailers aiming to enhance customer loyalty and facilitate repeated purchases. The study advances the understanding of the interplay between these key factors and their collective impact on customer loyalty in e-commerce. It underscores the necessity for e-commerce platforms to maintain high levels of customer satisfaction and trust, ensuring consistent service quality and leveraging positive e-WOM to build enduring customer relationships. Additionally, the implications of these findings are relevant for cross-cultural studies and can be applied across diverse product categories, suggesting broad applicability for future research and practical implementations in e-commerce. This comprehensive analysis not only contributes to the academic discourse on e-commerce but also offers practical recommendations for online retailers to optimize their strategies in a competitive market.