E-commerce app satisfaction: a design science research of mobile food ordering applications

• Main Author: Lim, Ryan Paul Augustine Han Yong
• Other Authors: L. G. Pee
• Format: Thesis-Master by Coursework
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2024
• Subjects: Computer and Information Science; Social Sciences; Design science; Satisfaction; E-commerce; Mobile food ordering application
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/173688
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

The rapid surge of e-commerce post-COVID-19, driven by lockdowns and online reliance, led to a doubling of global internet sales in the pandemic's initial year, representing a fifth of total global sales. This trend is predicted to escalate, with e-commerce projected to constitute a quarter of global sales by 2025, posing challenges for business in cementing customer loyalty amidst heightened competition (Insider Intelligence, 2022). For e-commerce businesses in an oversaturated market, customer satisfaction is pivotal, as it significantly impacts hallmarks of business success such as customer loyalty, trust, and habitual use (Wijaya & Hariguna, 2019; Chen et al., 2008; Eid, 2011; Gajewska et al., 2020; Dhingra, 2020; Alalwan, 2020; Ilevia et al., 2022). In this context, mobile food ordering applications (MFOA) exemplify the convergence of expectation formation and fulfilment, offering insights into user satisfaction. Employing a design science research methodology (DSRM), this study proposes ten design principles aligned with Alalwan’s (2020) e- satisfaction model. To test these principles, twenty design features were created, evaluated, and released within a multinational food delivery app. A two-wave survey across a five-month period reveals increased customer satisfaction scores post-feature implementation, validating these empirically tested design principles for e-commerce satisfaction and providing practical guidance for designers and product managers in the evolving online economy.