The effects of satisfaction, opportunism, and asset specificity on consumers' loyalty intention toward internet portal sites

Purpose - This study aims to develop and empirically test a model examining the antecedents of consumer loyalty toward internet portals. Design/methodology/approach - The data were collected based on an internet survey in Taiwan. Self-administered questionnaires were used for all measures. Findings - The results show that attributive satisfaction is very important in affecting consumers' overall satisfaction toward an internet portal, which in turn affects consumers' loyalty intention toward an internet portal. This study also demonstrates that consumers' specific asset investment on an internet portal exerted a positive impact on loyalty intention, whereas perceived opportunism toward an internet portal exerted a negative influence on loyalty intention. Originality/value - This study contributes to the e-commerce service studies in two ways. First, it developed and empirically tested a model for examining the antecedents of consumer loyalty intentions toward an internet portal. Second, it incorporated the concept of transaction cost (i.e. opportunism and asset specificity) into the model and examined the effect on the formation of loyalty intention. This inclusion also improved the theoretical foundation of loyalty formation in an internet-connected service world.