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CR
21,2 Internet marketing and customer
satisfaction in emerging markets:
the case of Chinese online
224
shoppers
Maktoba Omar
Napier University Business School, School of Marketing,
Tourism and Languages, Edinburgh, UK
Ian Bathgate
University of East London, Business School Docklands Campus,
London, UK, and
Sonny Nwankwo
Business School, University of East London, University Way, London, UK

Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that influence customer satisfaction
among Chinese online shoppers. It applies the normative categories identified in the literature and tests
them for effect in the emerging Chinese online consumer market.
Design/methodology/approach – Electronic survey instrument was used to obtain data from
Chinese online shoppers. The survey covered 15 composite items that could potentially influence the
level of customer satisfaction related to online shopping experience. These, in turn, were further
decomposed to six driving factors (convenience, product performance, customer services, security
concerns, web site interactions, and web site sensory stimulations).
Findings – It was possible to identify and classify the most critical moderators of online customer
satisfaction (most of which are consistent with similar studies in the West). Paradoxically, the data
also revealed the existence of some behavioral differences which are context-specific.
Research limitations/ implications – As is usually the case with online surveys, there was limited
scope for free-response data to be generated. Also, the study concerned itself with the factors influencing
customer satisfaction, but did not examine the relationship with online purchase intention and loyalty.
Originality/value – This paper provides some fascinating insights into the factors that moderate
the level of customer satisfaction among Chinese online shoppers. These are likely to become the
important determinants of success (or failure) of companies’ customer satisfaction management
programs related to online shopping in China and, therefore, of practical value to companies engaging
in internet marketing.
Keywords Customer satisfaction, Internet shopping, China, Emerging markets
Paper type Research paper

Introduction
Competitiveness Review: An Previous research on online shopping has provided useful perspectives and developed
International Business Journal our understanding of the behavior of online shoppers (Drennan et al., 2006; Ha, 2006;
Vol. 21 No. 2, 2011
pp. 224-237 Cheung et al., 2005; Cho and Park, 2001). However, most research efforts on the topic
q Emerald Group Publishing Limited have been based on western contexts (Bathgate et al., 2006). This despite the fact that
1059-5422
DOI 10.1108/10595421111117489 there has been a dramatic increase in the growth of electronic commerce in China and
some of the emerging markets in Asia. However, research in the region is still Chinese online
conspicuously less intense when considered alongside comparable efforts in western shoppers
countries (Park and Kim, 2006).
Electronic commerce in China is a relatively recent phenomenon but growing rapidly. In
Beijing, for example, internet penetration reached 30 percent in 2007 for the first time and
75.9 percent of Chinese internet users (about 104 million people) use broadband connections
(China Internet Network Information Centre (CNNIC), 2007). In the Asian region, South 225
Korea enjoys the largest total internet percentage penetration with 76 percent; China has an
equivalent figure of 22.4 percent. Broadband usage in China had overtaken Japan in 2004
and is now second only to USA. Comparable statistics in North America suggests
that internet penetration has grown 120 percent between 2000 and 2007 and reached a
71 percent penetration of the population (Internet World Stats, 2007). When further
analyzed, a “digital divide” is evident between rural and urban areas. China’s internet users
are mainly concentrated in the large cities and eastern coastal provinces – chiefly
Guangdong, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Beijing, Shandong, and Zhejiang (CNNIC, 2006). The 2007
CNNIC report indicated that rural internet usage had reached 5.1 percent whilst the
equivalent urban penetration rate was four times larger at 21.6 percent. The report
indicates that most usage in rural areas is for entertainment (online music, games, movies,
and TV shows), with a very low percentage of rural consumers engaging in online
purchasing, e-banking, or other forms of e-trading. This would appear to indicate that any
analysis of on-line behavior would be largely focused on urban areas. Nevertheless, the
formidable market prospect in terms of sheer volume at current levels of penetration and
the potential for further growth in the Chinese market imposes a need to reflect on the
potential of internet marketing to contribute to the economic growth that is today taking
place in China. An important dimension is to seek ways to enhance satisfactory buying
experiences through the internet. Given the volume of research in this area that is western
biased,(Lee et al., 2006; Bathgate et al., 2006), it is of academic interest to identify those
drivers of e-consumer satisfaction that are unique to the Chinese market and those that are
generally applicable to all e-commerce. Therefore, this study attempts to analyze and test
the veracity of commonly identified drivers of e-consumer satisfaction in the context of
China. The overarching aim is to provide a synthesis of the factors that influence
satisfactory shopping experience among Chinese on-line shoppers.

Contextual background
Against the backdrop of the relative nascence of internet shopping in China, the rapid
growth of internet usage mirrors, the country’s economic renaissance and movement
towards the mainstream global economy. Concurrent with the rapid growth of the Chinese
economy is the positive attitude of foreign investors towards the country, which has seen
the country ranked by multinationals companies as one of the most promising markets.
With per capita GDP of around $1,100 (equivalent to $5,500 when adjusted for purchasing
power – Yu, 2006) in 2003, China by then had 79.5 million web surfers. Yu (2006)
projects that around 40 million households will earn around $24,000 per annum in terms of
purchasing power. With the emergence of such huge middle class sub-population,
the internet becomes a tool with huge exploratory potentials in terms of accessing the vast
Chinese market.
According to the bi-annual Statistical Survey Report, the country added another
20.4 million new internet users by the end of 2005 and had grown to 162 million users
CR in 2006. In total, internet penetration in China has grown in six years from 1.7 percent in
2000 to 12.3 percent in 2006. This represents a growth in users from 22.5 million in 2000
21,2 to 162 million in 2007, a growth rate of 720 percent. Broadband usage as of June 2007
stood at 122 million of which 48.5 million were broadband subscribers (Internet World
Stats, 2007).
The make up ratios of Chinese “netizens” are male (59.3 percent) to female (40.7 percent)
226 and unmarried (57.8 percent) to married (42.2 percent). The profile of users since 2003
appears to be changing slightly from 60.9 percent male, 39.1 percent female, 58.9 percent
unmarried, and 41.1 percent married, respectively,(China Media Intelligence, 2003).
A CNNIC report (2002) stated that the occupations of the netizens include civil servants
(8.0 percent) technology experts (15.7 percent) office workers (10.3 percent) commercial
managers (8.9 percent) teachers (6.2 percent) commercial and service sector workers
(10.3 percent) agriculture, forestry and fishing workers (1.0 percent) manufacturing and
transport workers (6.2 percent) military (0.9 percent) students (28 percent) unemployed
(4 percent), and others (0.5 percent). CNNIC also reported that 31.9 percent of the internet
users bought online in the past year – items of purchase include books, computer-related
products, and electronic. “White goods” are hot internet transaction commodities. People’s
Daily Online reported that during the severe acute respiratory syndrome epidemic in 2003,
on-line shopping and message service found a second development opportunity. Among
the surveyed netizens only 8 percent never visited a shopping web site. A total of
40 percent of them routinely made on-line purchases. The netizens between the ages of
18 and 30 remain the driving force, but this age group’s share of the whole community
dropped steeply from 91 percent in 1998 to 52.9 percent at the end of June 2003. This
decrease was attributed to the steady growth in numbers of adults (35 and older)
consumers going on-line (China Internet Information Center, 2003). What should be
considered formidable, contextually, is the market prospect in terms of sheer volume at
current levels of penetration and the potential for further growth in the Chinese market.
Against the backdrop of the rich and growing body of research in this area that is western
biased (Mitchell, 1999; Ueltschy et al., 2004; Lee et al., 2006), it is of academic interest to
identify those drivers of e-consumer satisfaction that are unique to the Chinese market and
those that are generally applicable to all e-commerce. The success of any business as
identified in most marketing texts is the satisfaction of customer needs in order to effect
repeat business (Kotler and Keller, 2007).

Conceptual background
According to Donthu and Garcia (1999):
[. . .] the increasing number of companies that offer internet access are providing consumers
with a convenient and inexpensive way to become members of the internet community [. . .]
the increase in the quantity and quality of available information on the internet and the
presence of well-known corporations and brands on the internet are also generating high
interest among consumers.
The internet has proved to be a tremendously powerful vehicle for marketing
purposes and has become the front-end application of consumer intelligence gathering
and consumer purchase facilitation. Arnott and Bridgewater (2002) suggest that
such interactivity increases the organization’s ability to understand consumer purchase
behavior. A viewpoint could be taken that consumption has become a “cultural
experience” (Kozinets, 1999) – this experience is enhanced by the web and has profound
implications for marketers in terms of different cultural orientations. In addition, factors Chinese online
such as low-entry barriers have brought more retailers into the e-marketplace (Chen and shoppers
Dubinsky, 2003) whilst consumers have greater bargaining power, increased choice,
and lower switching costs. Ranaweera et al. (2005) state that the increasing prevalence
of the internet coupled with the efficiency and convenience of on-line transactions
is likely to significantly change customer behavior and business practices. According to
Gentry and Calantone (2002), “an ongoing requirement in the twenty-first century is 227
that marketers must understand the impact of the network economy on buyer
behaviour” and by implication customer satisfaction. Devaraj et al. (2002) highlighted
the importance of analyzing customer behavior in terms of retail practices and in the
importance of addressing the concerns related to delivering satisfactory customer
experience in transactive relations. Similarly, Cho and Park (2001) found evidence of the
need to assess the dual role of the consumer as both user of technology and customer.
In the latter role, the level and ease of understanding of product detail, including the
delivery of the goods, play an important part in customer satisfaction. Such basic
information such as clarity of products change, return and refund policies, provision of
order information, and product arrival information all contribute to satisfaction
(Baroudi and Orlikowski, 1988; Bailey and Pearson, 1983; Richins, 1983).
A key differentiating factor in internet marketing is that consumer experience/behavior
occurs in a computer-mediated environment (CME). If it is accepted that parts of the
determinant of consumer satisfaction are word of mouth, past experience of usage, and
marketing communications (Zeithaml et al., 1993), then in a cyber environment this is
facilitated not just by interaction between the user and the organization, but also
interaction with the web site (Kim, 2002). The primary relationship is between the
consumer/sender and the mediated environment; hence, a two-step process is involved.
Mediated environments are created and then experienced. It can be argued that part of this
mediated, one-to-many environment is the virtual community as well as the primary
interaction between the individual consumer and the web site. Kim (2002) found that
interactivity enhances the experience and levels of satisfaction. Communication within the
CME/virtual community could be seen as allowing anonymous word of mouth, identified
by Zeithaml et al. (1993) as playing an important part in establishing buyer expectations
and perceptions of service quality (SERVQUAL).
Flavian and Guinalieu (2006) state that an individual’s loyalty and intention to return
to a web site is determined by levels of trust, which is also affected by perceptions of
privacy and security. Word of mouth can generate consumer trust and lessen perceived
risk. Trust in this context becomes the mediating variable between members of a virtual
group. This is especially relevant to the Chinese “collectivist” mind set in which Confucian
social “norms” is a key element in decision making (Park and Jun, 2003). George (2004), in
a study based on the “Theory of planned behaviour” as relating to the impact of privacy
and security issues on on-line purchasing intention, found that the more trustworthy a site
was believed to be the more likely positive attitudes were developed. George was also able
to make a link between belief in the trustworthiness of the internet and consumers’ belief
in their abilities to buy on-line. From a behavioral perspective, therefore, levels of
perceived risk could determine whether a consumer becomes a buyer or non-buyer on the
web (Schoenbachler and Gordon, 2002). The links between perceived risk and trust have
also been identified by Harridge-March (2006) from a marketing planning perspective
where an increase in trust in potential customers can lead to a reduction of perceived risk.
CR Trust and perceived risk then can be considered as moderators of behavior which
21,2 also extend beyond the virtual community to attitudes and perceptions towards
technology. From what is already known in the literature, concepts such as utility,
likeability, usability, and flow are all moderators of on-line consumer satisfaction
(Shackel, 1991; Gaines and Shaw, 2002; Gefen et al., 2003; Chen and Dibb, 2004). Cho and
Park (2001) linked consumer interaction with technology as a determinant of satisfaction
228 whilst Devaraj et al. (2002) link e-commerce to customer behavior outcomes (satisfaction)
through three constructs; technology acceptance model, transaction cost analysis, and
SERVQUAL models. These models have been tested in the electronic commerce domain
and are shown to be robust in determining consumer satisfaction and repurchase
intentions. Similarly, evidence suggests that interaction with the web site is influenced
by such things as web site appearance as indicated by over all design, colours used, and
navigation (DeLone and McLean, 1992).
Research efforts have also been extended to examine how emotional and cognitive
responses to visiting a web based store for the first time can influence on-line consumer
satisfaction and intentions to return and their likelihood to make unplanned purchases.
Whilst focusing on intentions to return to a virtual site, explanations based on the
“Theory of planned behaviour” (Ajzen, 1991) and the “Theory of reasoned action” (Fishbein
and Ajzen, 1975), have been stressed largely on the basis that behavioral intention can be a
strong predictor of actual behavior. Attitudes and perceptions (subjective norms) towards
risk, technology, vendor, web site as well as perceived behavioral control, become
precursors to any assessment of on-line satisfaction and are especially relevant in a
collective society.
A further component to consider could be cultural and demographic impacts
(Ueltschy et al., 2004). Sin and Tse (2002) confirm that there is a connection between on-line
behavior and consumers’ demographic, psychographic, attitudinal, and experiential
factors. Therefore, the focus is not on decision making as a process but more towards the
antecedents of that process, that is, in the development of attitudes. They also discovered
cultural differences in the effects of internet usage and perceived risk on buying behavior
(Choi and Leeet al., 2003).
It is recognized that customer satisfaction is a subjective aspect of consumer
behavior with no commonly agreed framework. Therefore, based on a synthesis from the
literature on components of customer value of internet shopping, six principal common
factors (and embedding features) can be considered crucial in the formation of customer
satisfaction:
(1) Convenience: ease of ordering and payment; simple navigational capabilities; easy
to operate search engines (Kim, 2002); ease of understanding of product
information; detailedness of product information; provision of differentiated
products for comparison; safe and fast delivery; anywhere available delivery;
delivery charge; variety of payment methods (Cho and Park, 2001). A result of these
aspects would be reduced levels of risk and increased trust (Shackel, 1991; Gaines
and Shaw, 2002; Gefen et al., 2003; Chen and Dibb, 2004, Harridge-March, 2006).
(2) Product performance: quality, brand, selection, price, suitable, and clear product
categories (Cho and Park, 2001).
(3) Consumer services: asynchronous contact via e-mail; (Kim, 2002) to include clarity
of products change, return, and refund policies; provision of order information,
 product arrival information (Baroudi and Orlikowski, 1988; Bailey and Pearson, Chinese online
1983; Richins, 1983). shoppers
(4) Web site sensory stimulation: description of the exterior of a good; web site’s
color, structure, menu designs (DeLone and McLean, 1992).
(5) Web site social interaction functions: forum, chat room functions (Kim, 2002),
and auction functions.
229
(6) Security concerns: protection of privacy, security of the online payment, etc.
(Flavian and Guinalieu, 2006, George, 2004).

These important elements, as discerned from the literature, can then form the basis of
an internet-shopping satisfaction framework. These are then tested to check the
saliency and importance of each factor in influencing the customer satisfaction among
Chinese online shoppers.

Research instruments
A questionnaire method was used in this survey and conducted in Beijing. The
questionnaire was divided into two sections: Section A consisted of a list of questions
intended to probe the demographic variables of the respondents such as age, sex,
residence, and occupation. In addition, one of the questions was designed to establish
that the respondents had previously made purchases over the internet. Section B
contained questions aimed at gauging the respondents’ attitude to a range of variables
across the six determinant factors synthesized from the general literature and which
could possibly influence their satisfaction of internet shopping, using a five-point Likert
scale. The following determinant factors were focused on; convenience (ten variables),
product performance (four variables), consumer services (three variables), web site
sensory stimulations (two variables), web site social interactions (two variables), and
security concerns (two variables).
A pilot test to check the readability and reliability of the survey instrument
was successfully conducted before the commencement of full-scale data collection.
Subsequently, a total of 300 electronic mails were sent out with a link to the web site
where the questionnaire was displayed. There were 204 usable questionnaires, so the
overall effective response rate was 68 percent, which was considered adequate for
analysis and reporting (Babbie, 1990). The 204 effective respondents included males
and females, between the ages of 18 and 50, with different occupational backgrounds such
as government officers, technical persons, clerks, service persons, teachers, students,
unemployed people, and others. This is in accordance with the official statistics (by market
media report, 2003) of the China’s netizen’s demographic characteristics.
Using SPSS, a factor analysis was performed in the treatment of data. Results of the
factor analysis showed a factor structure consistent with the expected construct
structure with six factors. Reliability of the instrument was also examined. Both
reliability and validity were acceptable. For the factor analysis, varimax rotation was
performed to explain the variance of the six determinant factors. The result of reliability
analysis for the variables within each factor showed positive internal consistency. High
consistency was found in convenience with Cronbach’s alpha of 0.908: “web site sensory
stimulations” (0.823), “products performance” (0.793), “web site social interactions”
(0.721), “consumer services” (0.660), “security concerns” (0.362).
CR Research findings
21,2 The t-test result shows that there are 16 relevant items that influence consumer
satisfaction as applicable to Chinese consumers (Table I). These are:
These features span the six determinant factors already isolated for testing. Among
the features, there are nine most important items that are easily discernible: safe and
fast delivery, provision of order information/product arrival information, security of
230 the online payment, product quality, forum, chat room functions, easy to operate search
engines, provision of differentiated products for comparison, detailedness of product
information, and ease of ordering and payment. The means of t-test of these items are
all over 4.50. They should be considered the first-position and basic conditions of an
internet shopping web site.
The result also indicated that the most popular internet shopping web sites in China
were Sina shopping mall (http://mall.sina.com.cn), Eguo shopping mall (www.eguo.
com), Sohu shopping mall (http://store.sohu.com), Netease shopping mall (http://mall.
163.com/newmall/index.html), and 8848 shopping mall (www.8848.com/). It was found
that the success of those shopping malls depended on satisfying the 16 relevant items
identified. The results also revealed some subtle differences in consumer behavior to
internet shopping between China and other developed countries in relation to payment
methods (Cho and Park, 2001; Park and Kim, 2006). In most developed countries, the
mature technology of credit cards smooths out some of the problems relating to
methods of payment. In China, however, the case is slightly different because of the
significant population of consumers still preferring cash payments.

Managerial implications and conclusions

As the internet evolves into a more sophisticated environment for marketing, clearer
standards for measuring web site effectiveness will also evolve and, more particularly,
customer responsiveness of web-based transaction environments. In addition,
marketers must address the issue of how to deal with the high level of internet
exposure and business response to positive and negative consumer experiences, as those
will determine how well they succeed on the internet. The trend towards an engagement
with issues around consumer satisfaction is the key to gaining attention of on-line
consumers and transforming them into repeat customers. It is critical to realize that
the internet possesses the potential to build and enhance brand/corporate equity and the
ability to erode or destroy it. While this may not be new in the world of traditional
marketing, the full impact of such exposure in cyberspace can be staggering.

Safe and fast delivery Product brand

Provision of order information, product arrival Security of the online payment

information
Forum, chat room functions Easy to operate search engines
Ease of ordering and payment Suitable and clear product categories
Provision of differentiated products for comparison Protection of privacy information
Product quality Detailedness of product information
Visual description of the exterior of a good Clarity of products change return and refund
policies
Table I. Simple navigation capabilities and auction function Auction functions
The purpose of this initial study was to assess the moderators of on-line customer Chinese online
satisfaction within China. From this study, it is clear that the issue of “safe and fast shoppers
delivery” is one of the most important factors considered by consumers in expressing
positive or negative feelings about online buying. In China, most online shopping web
sites provides delivery service during daytimes, and usually the goods do not arrive at
indicated times. This is a problem area and a constraint on customer satisfaction
strategies. Nevertheless, there are some good practice examples that will aid new 231
entrants to the markets. For example, 24-hour and real-time delivery service is greatly
demanded by customers, and marketers wishing to establish an enduring presence and
defendable market position via the internet should seriously consider this. “Provision of
order information, product arrival information” is likely to make customers much more
certain of what they have ordered and when the orders are likely to be delivered – prior
to exiting the transaction environment. The successful internet shopping web sites like
Sina shopping mall, Eguo shopping mall, and 8848 shopping mall all provide “order
information and product arrival information” on the webpage after customers’ orders,
and subsequently a confirmation webpage pops up for customers to confirm all of the
information. Without this confirmation, the transaction is invalid. If a confirmation
order is received, a separate e-mail (including the order and product arrival information)
is sent to the customers as well.
“Security of online payment” is not only a major concern of Chinese customers, but
also equally true of consumers in other countries. In China, online payment is still at a
low level (CNNIC, 2003) and only a limited number of China’s internet shopping web
sites are able to fulfill online payment functions. This is not only a problem for the
internet contents providers (ICPs) business, but also the internet access service
providers, banks, and IT security companies. There is an obvious need for joined-up
initiatives to make on-line shopping less of a hassle. As China’s information technology
evolves, more and more ICPs will provide online-payment services, thus making online
payment more popular. In this way, more customers could be trustful of the internet
security arrangements and more confident in the integrity of market transactions.
“Product quality” is another crucial dimension to consider. Marketing on the internet
cannot offer any escape from the conventional product quality imperatives associated
with traditional marketing. The internet is not a medium for selling sub-standard
products in the erroneous impression that customers may not feel, taste, or touch the
product prior to consummating the exchange process. In an environment where sensory
shopping is not present, quality should constitute a critical selling factor. This is equally
true with regard to the development of a brand strategy. A “product brand” is
inextricably interwoven with “product quality.” Famous brands are known to have
easier acceptance. Levels of trust are higher for popular brands and therefore perceived
risks are also lower. It may not be a bad idea to opt for a “twinning” positional strategy in
cases of products that are new to the market or consumers. The successful internet
shopping web sites in China all provide variety categories of famous-brand products.
Another key consideration is “forum functions,” that is, the idea of providing a forum
apart from routine product information where customers are able to post comments or
seek further information. Such forums facilitate effective communication, ensure that
appropriate market intelligence is gathered, and, most importantly, promote collective
learning amongst consumers. Essentially, internet chat rooms may promote the
word-of-mouth credibility that is very important in business-to-business marketing and
CR increasingly so in business to consumer marketing. In relation to the “easy to operate
21,2 search engines” requirement, successful marketers do provide a textbox, usually on the
title page, through which customers only need to type the name of the product they want
to find. Often, several differentiated but the same generic product range will spring up
immediately. Beside the textbox, there may be a selection menu, which lists all the
categories of products on offer. It is suggested that marketers should list the detail of
232 differentiated products in rows for comparison according to brand, type, style, color,
function, etc. so that customers can make comparisons more easily.
A key consideration for the organization is to examine the extent to which cultural
characteristics inform not only product/service design but also web site
design/atmospherics. The question to be addressed by companies is what aspects of
web site design makes for “stickiness” in the Chinese market and whether there is
commonality across the region. The degree to which there is commonality between
Chinese consumers is debatable. This can be viewed not only from a rural versus urban
aspect, but also between the geographical locations of cities. Similarly, the overall
Confucian philosophical base of the Chinese society may have a large impact on buyer
behavior and therefore, on the design of web sites (Park and Jun, 2003). In terms of
behavior, Goldsmith (2002) has shown that the frequency of on-line buying (i.e. return
visits) is determined by the degree of innovativeness of the consumer. From a societal
perspective, the more innovative a society is the more likely the consumer is to use the
internet. In a collective society with a set of philosophical orientations, intention to use
the internet may be lower than for other individualistic societies. Further research would
need to be conducted in this area. It could therefore be stated that a one-site-fits-all
strategy may not be the correct position in the Chinese market. This philosophical base
may also act as a moderating influence on degrees of consumer satisfaction.
On the whole, the development of a sound marketing mix requires extensive
consumer research to gain knowledge about target market needs, values, attitudes, etc.
Some of the issues that need to be addressed in conducting consumer research for
internet marketing purposes include:
.
cost effectiveness;
.
implantation of controls to ensure that the appropriate audience is surveyed;
.
response rate problems and how to overcome them;
.
validity of responses conducted over the internet; and
.
security issues for respondents and researchers.

There are also other broader strategic issues to be dealt with by marketers. They must,
from the outset, come to a clear decision on the role, the internet is to play in marketing
strategy. More broadly, they must determine how internet marketing might impact
corporate strategy.

Limitation and areas for further research

There are obvious limitations emanating from this study. First, as already alluded to,
administering research instruments through the web site is full of complications.
Although the response rate was high, because the questionnaires were sent out
online anonymously, the respondents’ demographic information cannot be guaranteed
to be true. This is a common problem in most research situations involving the use
of postal questionnaires. Also, the framing of questionnaire items, structured along the Chinese online
Likert “5-point scale” framework, did not allow for free-response data. This may shoppers
preclude any detailed discussion of actual feelings in a way that will allow the research to
tap deeper into the consumers’ world. It is also important to bear in mind that most of the
respondents seems to come from big cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou.
It is not inconceivable that the respondents’ expressed attitudes might be a little different
from those in the rural areas of China. In China, consumption characteristics differ along 233
geo-demographic boundaries.
This research has shown the broad generic features of the determinants of satisfaction
in the Chinese on-line market. Further research needs to be conducted to explore the
impact of culture on web site design (to include privacy and security measures) and
therefore satisfaction. Areas that would need to be further considered when considering
on-line satisfaction should include the cultural imperatives of web site design, the
penetration of credit cards and therefore perceptions of risk and risk avoidance strategies
within a Chinese context, differences in purchase behavior between certain product
categories (e.g. low contact items of lower monetary value such as books/CD’s and higher
involvement items), intention to shop on-line, the impact of demographic variables on
consumer behavior, as well as attitudes towards the use and type of search engines.

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About the authors

Maktoba Omar is a graduate of Leeds University Business School, she has published in a number
of national and international academic journals and presented at numerous conferences and
workshops. She is also a Research Associate of the China-EU Development & Research Centre
and a Visiting Scholar at Harbin University of Commerce. Her main research interests focus on
globalisation, international strategy and marketing policy. Her current research focus is the
study of the emerging markets development in relation to developed countries. Maktoba Omar is
the corresponding author and can be contacted at: m.omar@napier.ac.uk
Ian Bathgate, is a lecturer at the University of East London. His research interests lie in the
area of buyer behavior with particular interest in on-line behavioral patterns and media
convergence. Ian has extensive practical experience in the advertising/media industry and has
operated as a consultant to a number of European organisations. Ian’s main areas of interest lie
in e-marketing and on-line consumer behavior which is the subject of his PhD thesis. He is also
interested in marketing and communication planning in MNC/SME and the development of
marketing orientations in emerging economies
Sonny Nwankwo is Professor of Marketing and Director of Research and Enterprise within
East London Business School, University of East London, UK. He is a, Chartered Marketer and
developed his research specialism in consumer studies. He is widely published and a recipient of
the ANBAR Citation of Excellence for Highest Quality Rating for published work. Professor
Nwankwo serves on the Editorial Review Board of eight journals in Marketing and International
Business. His professional affiliations include: Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing,
Fellow of the Academy of Marketing Science, Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, External
Assessor and Visiting Professor at universities in Africa, Australia, the UK and the USA.

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