Online customer relationships: switching cost drivers for different relationship lengths

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of selected online drivers on perceived switching costs, with consideration of the personality trait of Openness to Experience. The research explores how these relationships vary with varying lengths of relationship. Data were collected from online banking users using paper-based surveys and were tested using structural equation modeling. Openness to Experience influences online trust and satisfaction positively, perceived switching costs negatively, but not online loyalty. Online satisfaction affects online loyalty positively, but not perceived switching costs. Online trust predicts online loyalty and perceived switching costs positively. Online loyalty enhances perceived switching costs significantly. The explanatory power of the model fluctuates over different relational periods and is best when customers' relationships reach medium-term duration. The research adds new insights to the customers' online relationship literature and provides managers with new ways to customize online banking services for better online relational strategies.