The Study of the Relationship Marketing on Internet

This study suggests that four broad drivers—society, customer, web site, and interaction—affect online customers’ receptivity to relationship maintenance. Trust and relationship commitment are used to measure the desire of relationship establishment and maintenance. Results indicate that the customer relationship on the Internet exists.

All four broad drivers, which included society, customer, web site and interaction, are significant predictors in terms of improving customer relationship on Internet. The study suggests that companies should establish their own online community, introduce customer relationship management, focus on their area of expertise and aware of the unique interactive feature on Internet. Results also find that young and low-income customers respond to indirect social bonding and tend to trust companies.

Though low-educated customers are low in customer expertise, they are more likely to devote their energy for relationship establishment and tie to indirect social bonding. Also, portal and shopping web sites are less trustful and less likely to be committed. The results enable a firm to understand the roles of Internet on relationship marketing and to develop Internet strategy effectively.

It serves as a basis for the future growth of Internet marketing and can guide those wishing to champion Internet marketing in their organization.