E-MÜŞTERİLERİN DEMOGRAFİK ÖZELLİKLERİNE GÖRE ALGI VE MEMNUNİYETLERİNDEKİ FARKLILIKLARIN İNCELENMESİ: GAZİANTEP İLİ ÖRNEĞİ
AN EXAMINATION OF DIFFERENCES ON SATISFACTION AND PERCEPTIONS OF E-CUSTOMERS ACCORDING TO DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS: GAZIANTEP PROVINCE CASE

Summary/Abstract: This study aimed to determine whether the demographic variables such as gender, age group, and university choice of e-customers create differences in customer perceptions (security and customer relations) and satisfaction towards online shopping, and how security and customer perceptions predict e-customer satisfaction. The study was carried out with undergraduate students studying at both state and private universities, and it was claimed that the effect of demographic characteristics (gender, age, and school choice) of e-customers are important and have a difference in security, customer relations and satisfaction.The research questions of this study are as follows:• Does the gender and age group make a difference in customer perceptions (security and customer relations) and customer satisfaction with online shopping?• Does the university choice have an impact on security, customer relations perceptions and satisfaction with online shopping?• How much do e-customer perceptions (security and customer relationships) predict e-customer satisfaction? What are the explanatory power and the order of importance of each perception dimension in predicting e-customer satisfaction?The sample consisted of 560 students studying at three universities in Gaziantep in the 2016-2017 academic year. The survey data were collected using “Online Shopping Customer Perceptions and Customer Satisfaction” scale (OSCP-CSS) developed by Ates (2017). One and two-way MANOVA and stepwise regression analyses were conducted using the SPSS 22.0 package program.The effect of e-customers' gender and university choice on security perception did not have a statistically significant effect on customer relationship perception and customer satisfaction scores. However, according to age groups, the safety perception of the 15-20 group was significantly lower than the 21-26 group. Also, in the group of 15-20 and 21-25, the perception of security for female customers was higher than that of male ones, while the perception of security and customer satisfaction of females aged 25 years and older are lower than males in this group. As a result of the stepwise regression analysis, it was seen that around 39% of the total variance in e-customer satisfaction was explained by the security perception and customer relations (R = 0.622, R 2 = 0.386, p <.001). In the first step of the stepwise regression analysis, the variable of the regression coefficient (Beta) is 0.595 for the relationship between the perception of the customer relationship and customer satisfaction. It was seen that the perception of the customer relationship explains 35% of e-customer satisfaction (R2 = 0.354). In the second step of the stepwise regression analysis, security perception was added to the model. As a result, it was found that 39% of the total variance in e-customer satisfaction was related to the perception of security and customer relations (R = 0.622, R2 = 0.386). When the other variables remained constant, the Beta coefficients of the perceptions of customer relationship and security were found 0.252 and 0.113, respectively. The t values for both Beta coefficients are 10,322 and 5,540, respectively (p <.001). When the regression coefficients, R2 and t values of the customer relations and security perception variables were examined, it was seen that e-customer satisfaction was significantly predicted firstly by customer relations and secondly by security perception.15-20 age group customers had significantly lower safety perceptions than the 21-26 age group. A possible explanation for this may be the fact that e-customers who have more internet experience have better control of technology and find online shopping safer. Another reason could be that as experience with the Internet increases, users become better at preventing problems. In turn, this may lead to an increase in trust (Santana and Loureiro, 2010; Ozhan and Altug, 2015).Also, in the 15-20 and 21-25 age groups, while female customer satisfaction was higher than male customers, the perception of security and customer satisfaction of females aged 25 and over were lower than males. This can be attributed to the low level of customer satisfaction in the previous studies (Kim et al., 2008; Chiu et al., 2009; Godwin et al., 2010; Chen, 2012). Female customers in this age group can be considered to have more online shopping experience and negative security experiences than other groups. Customers start shopping online with high-security perception, but as a result of negative experiences, security perceptions decrease. Online shopping sites should also be careful about this and take the necessary precautions in a way that does not reduce the security perception.According to the findings of the study, the perceptions of security and customer relations were found to be the significant predictors of e-customer satisfaction. These two variables together predicted 39% of e-customer satisfaction. It was observed that the perception of customer relationship increased e-customer satisfaction more than security perception. It was seen that customer relation is a determining factor in customer satisfaction (Ates, 2017). On the other hand, the perception of security is second to the perception of customer relations and this is one of the remarkable findings of the study. In today's online shopping sites, security is not only considered as strategic feature, but it is a fundamental requirement for customers, and this notion supports our finding (Godwin et al., 2010). It has also been emphasized that security perception plays a decisive role in customer satisfaction, the main reason why many potential customers do not shop from online shopping sites is the lack of security perception (Kim et al., 2008; Chiu et al., 2009; Eid, 2011; Chen, 2012). Security is an important issue that should be considered and taken care of for customers of online shopping sites, and the necessary security requirements (authentication, integrity, secure encryption method, payment security) should be provided by online shopping sites.This study offers some suggestions for online shopping sites. Online shopping sites are very important for customer satisfaction studies. These enterprises should give importance to customer relations and security perceptions and work towards increasing these two perceptions to increase their customers’ satisfaction. Satisfied customers, in turn, can also increase their income.In the future, detailed studies can confirm our finding that women aged 25 and over have more online shopping experience and negative security experiences than other groups. Also, future studies may include undergraduate and graduate students or university staff from other universities operating Turkey in their sample.

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