The effect of website features in online relationship marketing: A case of online hotel booking

• Hedonic features of the website have a stronger significant effect on affective commitment.
• Utilitarian features have a stronger significant effect on calculative commitment.
• Web design features are important for online relationship marketing.
• Both commitment dimensions were found to be precursors of trust whereas affective commitment is the precursor of e-loyalty.

The primary objective of this research is to develop a theory-based model of utilitarian and hedonic website features, customer commitment, trust, and e-loyalty in an online hotel booking context. Structural Equation Modeling was deployed to test research hypotheses. Findings highlight the importance of creating loyalty by focusing on both hedonic and utilitarian features. Affective commitment is more influenced by hedonic features whereas calculative commitment is driven by utilitarian ones. Both commitment dimensions sway customers’ trust towards the online vendor and trust is an important antecedent of e-loyalty. Findings confirm that web design features are important for online relationship marketing. Both commitment dimensions were found to be precursors of trust whereas affective commitment is the precursor of e-loyalty.

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