E-service quality and its influence on customer perceived value

Research on online shopping behaviour has grown significantly; however, limited attention has been given to how privacy and security, fulfilment, website design, and overall e-service quality influence consumer outcomes such as word-of-mouth and perceived value, particularly in emerging markets.This study addresses this gap by examining the relative influence of these antecedents on online shopping behaviour within the South African context.Using a structured survey, data were collected from 116 consumers at Walter Sisulu University in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.Five hypotheses were proposed to assess the relationships among the identified antecedents, word-of-mouth, and perceived value in shaping online shopping behaviour.The empirical analysis supported four hypotheses, while one was rejected.The findings suggest that online shopping behaviour in this context is significantly influenced by website design, fulfilment, overall e-service quality, and resulting loyalty outcomes.At the same time, privacy and security have a limited direct impact.These results provide cautious yet meaningful evidence that consumer online shopping behaviour in Africa-an under-researched context-can be explained through both functional and relational factors.The study contributes to the broader discourse on digital consumer behaviour by offering theoretical and practical insights for enhancing online retail strategies in South Africa.