Evaluating the Electronic Service Quality of E-Shops Using AHP-TOPSIS

What is it about?

The purpose of this study is to evaluate and rank the e-shops of the top Greek coffee-chains, based on their electronic service quality. Data were collected from experts during the first COVID-19 lockdown. Based on the E-S-QUAL model, we applied a 12-step multi-criteria decision-making methodology utilizing analytic hierarchy process (AHP), and technique for order performance by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS). The results indicate that system availability and fulfillment are the two most crucial dimensions of the model. Protection of credit card information, webpages that do not freeze during the ordering process, delivery of the ordered items, and truthfulness about products and services offered by the e-shop are considered the most important sub-dimensions. Our findings can aid managers and practitioners focus on the most important service quality elements when developing e-commerce websites. Furthermore, our study’s results highlight the positive and negative areas of performance of the e-shops under evaluation.

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Photo by Cathryn Lavery on Unsplash

Photo by Cathryn Lavery on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The contribution of our study is threefold. Firstly, our research provides a ranking between e-service quality items in the cultural environment of Greece. Service quality dimensions differ between countries (Ladhari, 2010), creating the need to examine the importance of the E-S-QUAL model items in different contexts. Secondly, we apply a multi-criteria decision-making approach based on AHP and TOPSIS to evaluate and rank the e-shops on one of the most positively affected e-commerce sectors during COVID-19 lockdown, food & drink. The findings reveal the coffee-chain website that can be considered as the benchmark in that area. Finally, our study’s results enrich the literature and provide insight to managers and web developers regarding the e-service quality items they should consider more during the implementation of e-shops.