Effects of the Interactive Experience in the B2B E-Commerce Setting

Abstract

Online shopping has recently increased with the development of technology in both business-to-customer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) contexts. Using engagement theory and the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) framework, a structural model was designed in this study to examine the consequences of customer interaction experiences with B2B service providers. To test the proposed model, data were collected from 345 B2B customers in the United States via an online survey. Analysis was conducted using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). A strong relationship was shown between the interactive stimulus (e.g., customer interactions with other customers and companies), organism elements (e.g., cognitive, affective, and conative engagement), and behavioral responses (e.g., ongoing search and repurchase intentions of customers). The results demonstrated differences in B2B customer behaviors across various demographic characteristics, such as gender and age. Studies that examine customer online purchasing behavior in B2B settings are currently lacking.