Examining qualitative factors influencing on business-to-customer websites using fuzzy methods: Comparison of Iran with developed countries

In this paper, website quality and its effective parameters are examined. The most important factors leading to improvement of website quality in terms of technical efficiency and usefulness are realized. To do so, experts' opinions and literature are considered. Totally 50 qualitative factors are identified. Only 22 the most important factors are included in questionnaires provided for interview in the research. To gather initial data, customers of an Iranian website (bekhan.com) and international website (Amazon.com) are asked. The qualitative factors of the two websites are then ranked using fuzzy technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (fuzzy TOPSIS) approach. Afterwards, eight most important factors are weighted and ranked using fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (fuzzy AHP). The results of this research indicate coherence and complexity of elements, customers' expectation and satisfaction, currency, and comparative performance as the most significant qualitative factors.