evaluating e-commerce: an aesthetic perspective johnny snyder mesa state college

Evaluating E-Evaluating E-commerce: commerce: An Aesthetic An Aesthetic PerspectivePerspective

Johnny SnyderJohnny Snyder

Mesa State CollegeMesa State College

OutlineOutline

Definition and Key TermsDefinition and Key Terms The Idea and UnderpinningsThe Idea and Underpinnings Beginning the StudyBeginning the Study Ideas from the E-commerce ClassIdeas from the E-commerce Class A Pilot StudyA Pilot Study ConclusionsConclusions

AestheticAesthetic

Webster’s defines aesthetic as: Webster’s defines aesthetic as:

““a philosophical theory or idea of a philosophical theory or idea of

what is aesthetically valid at a what is aesthetically valid at a

given time and place”given time and place”

Aesthetics – The science of beauty.Aesthetics – The science of beauty.

Key termsKey terms

Valid – what is acceptableValid – what is acceptable

- what is normal- what is normal

Time – past/present/ futureTime – past/present/ future

Place – cyberspace/the WebPlace – cyberspace/the Web

Current areas of Current areas of interest in e-commerceinterest in e-commerce TrustTrust

PrivacyPrivacy

CredibilityCredibility

Levels of e-commerceLevels of e-commerceThe Levels of E-Commerce Properties of each Level

4th LevelSatisfaction Level

Satisfaction with e-mail contactSatisfaction with productTime to receive product

Satisfaction with e-service

3rd LevelAcquisition level

Opt in/opt out choicesSelect shipping options

Share financial information with companyShare personal information with company

Product selection

2nd LevelFaith Level

Trust in web siteCredibility in web site

Privacy protection by web site

1st LevelImpression Level

Usability/UtilityLayout

Aesthetic appeal

0th LevelAcceptance Level

Accept e-commerce on the InternetFaith in e-commerce

Credibility/Usability/Credibility/Usability/TrustTrust Fogg (2002) Fogg (2002)

– 39.4% ~ 54.6% of users give credibility 39.4% ~ 54.6% of users give credibility based on based on visual appealvisual appeal

Ben-Bassat et al. (2004)Ben-Bassat et al. (2004)

– Found that usability and aesthetics are Found that usability and aesthetics are positively correlatedpositively correlated

The Levels of E-Commerce

Properties of each Level






Share financial information with company

Share personal information with company

Product selection






Aesthetic appeal



Negative feedback

Positive feedback

The Levels of E-Commerce

Properties of each Level






Share financial information with companyShare personal information with company

Product selection






Aesthetic appeal



Positive feedback

Negative feedback

Begin the studyBegin the studyNielsen (1993)Nielsen (1993)

Additions to NielsenAdditions to Nielsen

The studyThe study

How these elements fit together (as How these elements fit together (as axioms) to form more complete axioms) to form more complete statements (theorems or norms) in statements (theorems or norms) in cyberspace and/or Web design for cyberspace and/or Web design for groups of sites with a shared purpose.groups of sites with a shared purpose.

I.e. what is accepted, normal, I.e. what is accepted, normal, familiar…familiar…

““The visual design should match the The visual design should match the sites purpose” (Fogg, 2004, p.19)sites purpose” (Fogg, 2004, p.19)

The study (3)The study (3)

E-commerce class, fall 2005E-commerce class, fall 2005

– Idea papersIdea papers

– Web site evaluationsWeb site evaluations

Idea paper Idea paper

The most important elements of Web The most important elements of Web design:design:

– ColorColor - 100%- 100%

– Simplicity/complexitySimplicity/complexity - 68%- 68%

– Navigation/location/layoutNavigation/location/layout - 58%- 58%

– Familiarity Familiarity - 26%- 26%

Web site analysisWeb site analysis

Add in student interestsAdd in student interests

Pilot studyPilot study

Airline sitesAirline sites

Purpose: To sell flight ticketsPurpose: To sell flight tickets

How: Flight search engineHow: Flight search engine

Pilot study (2)Pilot study (2)

Determine the average or normal: Determine the average or normal:

– Colors used on airline sitesColors used on airline sites

– Complexity of flight search engineComplexity of flight search engine

– Location of flight search engineLocation of flight search engine

Airlines - worldwide

85

23 21

139 8

4 2

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

1

colors

Per

cen

tag

e

Blue

Red

Green

Gold

Yellow

Orange

Purple

Pink

US airlines - large

100

80

20

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

1

Colors

Per

cen

tag

e

Blue

Red

Gold

US airlines small

92

50

8

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

1

Colors

Per

cen

tag

e

Blue

Gold

Red

Collectivist countries airlines

74

35

17

94 4 4

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

1

Colors

Per

cen

tag

e

Blue

Green

Yellow

Purple

Red

Orange

Pink

Individualistic countries airlines

92

46

23 23

8

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

1

Colors

Per

cen

tag

e

Blue

Red

Green

Orange

Yellow

Hofstede (1997)Hofstede (1997)

ComplexityComplexity

Number of wordsNumber of words

Number of hyperlinksNumber of hyperlinks

Number of text boxesNumber of text boxes

Hick’s Law: Hick’s Law:

)1(log 2 nH )1(log 2 nH

)1(log 2 nH

Complexity (hyperlinks, text boxes, menus, radio buttons)

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Year

Com

plex

ity

MetricsMetrics

Qualitative Domain Quantitative Qualitative Domain Quantitative DomainDomain

ConclusionsConclusions

Patterns are emerging in e-Patterns are emerging in e-commerce over time – evolving commerce over time – evolving conventions.conventions.

Patterns are emerging in e-Patterns are emerging in e-commerce over space – commerce over space – Hofstede’s dimensions used to Hofstede’s dimensions used to analyze Web design.analyze Web design.

Questions Arise!Questions Arise!

As usual, the pilot study has given As usual, the pilot study has given rise to numerous questions. rise to numerous questions.

– Questions of time and evolutionQuestions of time and evolution

– Questions of metrics for complexityQuestions of metrics for complexity

– Questions of culture in a global Questions of culture in a global

mediummedium– Use of colorUse of color

– Use of languageUse of language

AristotleAristotle

““What is not measurable….What is not measurable….

make measurable”make measurable”

Thanks!Thanks!

……for comingfor coming

……to the reviewer for many helpful to the reviewer for many helpful commentscomments

……for the questions?for the questions?

ReferencesReferences

Ben-Bassat, T., Meyer, J. & Tractinsky, N. (2004). Using Ben-Bassat, T., Meyer, J. & Tractinsky, N. (2004). Using monetary incentives and auctions to elicit user preferences monetary incentives and auctions to elicit user preferences between usability and aesthetics. between usability and aesthetics. CHI ’04 extended abstracts on CHI ’04 extended abstracts on Human factors in computing systems, Human factors in computing systems, 1569-1569.1569-1569.

Fogg, B. (2002). How do people evaluate a web site’s Fogg, B. (2002). How do people evaluate a web site’s credibility? Results from a large study. Retrieved May 18, 2005 credibility? Results from a large study. Retrieved May 18, 2005 from: from: http://www.consumerwebwatch.org/dynamic/web-credibility-rephttp://www.consumerwebwatch.org/dynamic/web-credibility-reports-evaluate-abstract.cfmorts-evaluate-abstract.cfm

Fogg, B. (2004). What makes a website credible? PowerPoint Fogg, B. (2004). What makes a website credible? PowerPoint slides available by request at: slides available by request at: http://http://credibility.stanford.educredibility.stanford.edu/ /

Hofstede, G. & Hofstede, G. J. (2005). Hofstede, G. & Hofstede, G. J. (2005). Cultures and Cultures and organizations software of the mindorganizations software of the mind. New York, NY: McGraw Hill.. New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

References (2)References (2)

Nielsen, J. (1993). Nielsen, J. (1993). Usability EngineeringUsability Engineering. New York, NY: . New York, NY: Morgan Kaufmann.Morgan Kaufmann.

Webster’s (1996). Webster’s (1996). Encyclopedic unabridged dictionary of Encyclopedic unabridged dictionary of the English languagethe English language. New York, NY: Gramercy Books. . New York, NY: Gramercy Books.

Collectivist Countries Collectivist Countries AirlinesAirlines

LAN (Chile)

Indian Airlines

Jet Airways (India)

Sri Lankan Air (India)

IranAir

Malaysia Airlines

Royal Brunei (Malaysia)

Copa Panama

TAP Air Portgual

EVA Air (Taiwan)

Thai Airways

Aeropostal (Venezuela)

Mexicana/2005

Aeromexico/2005

Lineas Aereas Azteca

Philippine Airlines

Cebu Airlines (Philippine)

Aerolineas Argentinas

Korean Air

Asiana Airlines (korea)

Air Jamaica

Gol Linhas Aereas (Brazil)

Varig (Brazil)

Individualistic Individualistic Countries AirlinesCountries Airlines

Austrian Airlines

Qantas

SNBrussels Airlines

Air Canada

Westjet (Canada)

Finnair

Air France

Lufthansa

Alitalia

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

Air New Zealand

Swiss Air

British Airways

Comparison of meansComparison of means

Navigation/Location/Navigation/Location/LayoutLayout

US Airlines Large Foreign Airlines - Individualistic


US Airlines - Small


Foreign Airlines - Collectivist

evaluating e-commerce: an aesthetic perspective johnny snyder mesa state college

Documents

web sitecredibility

web siteprivacy protection

web site analysisadd

cyberspace andor web

flight ticketshow

key termsthe idea

email contactsatisfaction

familiarthe visual design