An explorative study of shopper-based salient e-servicescape attributes: A Means-End Chain approach

• We use the MEC approach to identify, filter, and link the salient e-servicescape attributes.
• Three levels of the shoppers’ responses, i.e. attributes, benefits, and end-desirable beliefs are laddered.
• Seven salient attributes are identified that are linked to functional benefits, happiness, and confidence.
• The study grounds the salient attributes and provides insights to effectively promote web site shopping business success.

This study aims to address the gaps inherent in existing studies by exploring the salient e-servicescape attributes. Employing the Means-End Chain (MEC) approach, empirical evidence was obtained through in-depth interviews with online shoppers using laddering technique to determine the most frequently mentioned attributes from four servicescape dimensions: (1) ambient; (2) design; (3) signs, symbols and artifacts; and (4) interaction. Accordingly, we laddered three levels of online shoppers’ responses from concrete to less concrete abstractions, i.e. attributes, benefits, and end-desirable beliefs. As a result, seven salient e-servicescape attributes were identified. Each of the four dimensions suggests the attributes’ linkage to benefits and end-desirable beliefs. Specifically, the study finds quality photograph, as the salient attribute of the ambient dimension, may set the point of initial attraction and move shoppers from understanding the product to linking the web site contents. In the design dimension, navigation bar, categorization, and simple arrangement are the salient attributes. Company logo represents the most salient attribute under the signs, symbols and artifacts dimension because it not only facilitates recognition and recall of prominent web sites, it also acts as the determinant of perceived risks. In the interaction dimension, although pricing information is the salient attribute that evokes happiness and confidence among online shoppers, it may dilute their perception on web site's success. Instead, confirmation mail can possibly act as a determinant to web site's success. By offering a finer granularity of information, our findings provide insights to online sellers on the salient attributes to consider in order to effectively promote their shopping web sites to create positive emotional response and buying behavior among the online shoppers.