Online grocery shopping e-service quality: A generational comparison

Background: Online grocery shopping has increased due to the convenience it offers; however, consumers from different generational cohorts hold different expectations, shaping their perceptions of e-service (e-SQ) quality. Aim: This study investigates how e-SQ perceptions differ between Generation X and Y within the South African grocery industry. Setting: The study was conducted in the South African grocery retail sector, with data collected online from consumers across the country. Method: A quantitative study was executed, resulting in 622 respondents. SmartPLS 4.0 was used to evaluate the measurement and structural models. Results: Perceived risk had a significant negative impact on e-SQ for both cohorts, suggesting that this does not differ according to age. Platform content, ease of use, and service convenience all have significant positive effects on e-SQ for both cohorts. Service convenience was the strongest predictor of e-SQ for Generation X, while platform content was the strongest predictor for Generation Y. Conclusion: Both cohorts value similar factors. Generation Y regards platform content, ease of use, and service convenience as important, while Generation X views service convenience, ease of use, and then platform content as important factors. These key differences allow online grocery retailers to ensure their platforms are designed to ensure the highest e-SQ levels, depending on the cohort they target. Contribution: This study highlights specific differences between generational cohorts and whether differences in their e-SQ exist. Thus, online grocery retailers have the opportunity to develop tailored marketing strategies focusing on different factors (e.g., platform content, ease of use, and service convenience for Generation Y and service convenience, ease of use, and platform content for Generation X) to improve the e-SQ perceptions.