Developing a Conceptualization of Mobile Service Quality

Abstract

Mobile devices changed the way that users nowadays encounter online environments. These devices have become the essential touchpoints for users on their path to purchase. Since recent IS literature does not provide comprehensive measurements for mobile service quality (MSQ), we employed focus groups and critical incident technique to collect 422 user statements related to perceptions of service quality in mobile shopping situations. Our study explores eighteen attributes representing five essential dimensions of MSQ. The results suggest that users assess mobile stores depending on the offered ubiquity of services (e.g., mobility, location-based services), mobile store design (e.g., responsive design, synchronicity, information quality, product selection), customer service (e.g., social media, return policies), order fulfillment (e.g., process transparency, timeliness of delivery), and security/privacy. We discuss this conceptual model of MSQ which will be used to develop a comprehensive MSQ measurement in further research.