Author(s): Dnyaneshwaree Shrikant Jawale, Jyoti Singh, Nilesh R. Berad
Purpose: The research focuses on exploring the mediating role of E-trust between E-Utility and E-loyalty in the context of e-commerce. As the virtual commerce continues to soar high its growing trajectory, its importance and the understanding of trust acts a bridge between the perception of platforms utility by customers and their loyalty have become more important aspect. Hence, this research is an attempt to achieve a greater understanding of the process by which customer’s functional satisfaction with the virtual commerce world translates into a journey of enduring trust and eventual loyalty. Methodology: A Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) approach has been utilized here to explore the mediating role played by E-trust between E-Utility and E-Loyalty. The data has been gathered from existing online consumers, and the structural model has been estimated using the data to test the direct and indirect effects between the constructs. The statistical conclusion verifies the significance of each path coefficient and empirical verifies the mediation impact. Findings: The analysis results indicate that the relationship between E-Utility and E-Loyalty is partially mediated by E-Trust and has a moderate level of mediation strength. This further indicated that customer loyalty directly improves by virtue of the perceived usefulness and convenience of the platform but the relationship between two further improves by the reinforcing role of trust. Practical Implications: The research demonstrates that e-commerce companies need to address the functional and utilitarian aspect of a website’s value but also consider incorporating measures for building customer confidence. If the reliability level, protection for personal information, transparency policy, and prompt response are improved, it will significantly improve the relationship between confidence and loyalty and move the company towards higher customer retention and competitiveness. Originality: Through the empirical assessment of the mediation function of trust and the integration of E-Utility, E-Trust, and E-Loyalty into a single theoretical model, this research contributes to the body of literature. It stands out by illustrating the way that psychological belief in the websites of e-commerce acts as a key mediator between perceived functional value and loyalty and also provides both theoretical and practicable insights for understanding consumer behaviour in the online marketplace.