Service Convenience: On-Line versus Brick and Mortar Bookstores

In this research, the authors assess the applicability of the SERVCON model to the e-commerce (e-service) environment in the context of student textbook purchases. Following a literature review, a survey was developed based on previous scales; items were modified to fit the e-commerce environment. The survey was administered to college students in business courses, and 281 usable responses were received. Factor analysis resulted in several items being dropped, but the six factor SERVCON model was validated in the online environment. The validated model was used to compare service convenience perceptions between students purchasing books online and students purchasing books by traditional methods (brick-and-mortar). The service convenience measures for online purchases than brick-and-mortar purchases for decision, access, benefit, transaction, and postbenefit convenience. The study validates the SERVCON model in the e-service environment, and extends work that explains consumer behavior in e-services. Traditional bookstores need to explore options to improve services in the brick-and-mortar environment. Online vendors can improve their web sites to provide better service convenience to their customers.