1. Evaluating E-commerce: An Aesthetic Perspective
Johnny Snyder
Mesa State College

2. Outline Definition and Key Terms The Idea and Underpinnings
Beginning the Study
Ideas from the E-commerce Class
A Pilot Study
Conclusions

3. Aesthetic Webster’s defines aesthetic as:
“a philosophical theory or idea of what is aesthetically valid at a given time and place”
Aesthetics – The science of beauty.

4. Key terms Valid – what is acceptable - what is normal
Time – past/present/ future
Place – cyberspace/the Web

5. Current areas of interest in e-commerce
Trust
Privacy
Credibility

6. The Levels of E-Commerce Properties of each Level
4th Level
Satisfaction Level
Satisfaction with contact
Satisfaction with product
Time to receive product
Satisfaction with e-service
3rd Level
Acquisition level
Opt in/opt out choices
Select shipping options
Share financial information with company
Share personal information with company
Product selection
2nd Level
Faith Level
Trust in web site
Credibility in web site
Privacy protection by web site
1st Level
Impression Level
Usability/Utility
Layout
Aesthetic appeal
0th Level
Acceptance Level
Accept e-commerce on the Internet
Faith in e-commerce

7. Credibility/Usability/Trust
Fogg (2002)
39.4% ~ 54.6% of users give credibility based on visual appeal
Ben-Bassat et al. (2004)
Found that usability and aesthetics are positively correlated
39.4% non-profit sites
54.6% finance sites
User’s evaluations reported in a late breaking results poster – CHI 2004

8. The Levels of E-Commerce Properties of each Level
Negative feedback
Positive feedback
The Levels of E-Commerce
Properties of each Level
4th Level
Satisfaction Level
Satisfaction with contact
Satisfaction with product
Time to receive product
Satisfaction with e-service
3rd Level
Acquisition level
Opt in/opt out choices
Select shipping options
Share financial information with company
Share personal information with company
Product selection
2nd Level
Faith Level
Trust in web site
Credibility in web site
Privacy protection by web site
1st Level
Impression Level
Usability/Utility
Layout
Aesthetic appeal
0th Level
Acceptance Level
Accept e-commerce on the Internet
Faith in e-commerce

9. The Levels of E-Commerce Properties of each Level
Negative feedback
Positive feedback
The Levels of E-Commerce
Properties of each Level
4th Level
Satisfaction Level
Satisfaction with contact
Satisfaction with product
Time to receive product
Satisfaction with e-service
3rd Level
Acquisition level
Opt in/opt out choices
Select shipping options
Share financial information with company
Share personal information with company
Product selection
2nd Level
Faith Level
Trust in web site
Credibility in web site
Privacy protection by web site
1st Level
Impression Level
Usability/Utility
Layout
Aesthetic appeal
0th Level
Acceptance Level
Accept e-commerce on the Internet
Faith in e-commerce

10. Begin the study Nielsen (1993)

11. Additions to Nielsen
Cultural norms – subjectively pleasing

12. The study
How these elements fit together (as axioms) to form more complete statements (theorems or norms) in cyberspace and/or Web design for groups of sites with a shared purpose.
I.e. what is accepted, normal, familiar…
“The visual design should match the sites purpose” (Fogg, 2004, p.19)

13. The study (3) E-commerce class, fall 2005 Idea papers
Web site evaluations

14. Idea paper The most important elements of Web design: Color - 100%
Simplicity/complexity %
Navigation/location/layout - 58%
Familiarity %

15. Web site analysis
Add in student interests

16. Pilot study Airline sites Purpose: To sell flight tickets
How: Flight search engine

17. Pilot study (2) Determine the average or normal:
Colors used on airline sites
Complexity of flight search engine
Location of flight search engine

23. Hofstede (1997)

24. Complexity Number of words Number of hyperlinks Number of text boxes
Hick’s Law:
Hick’s Law is from cognitive modeling metrics.
H = the information theoretic entropy of a decision

29. Metrics
Qualitative Domain Quantitative Domain

30. Conclusions
Patterns are emerging in e-commerce over time – evolving conventions.
Patterns are emerging in e-commerce over space – Hofstede’s dimensions used to analyze Web design.

31. Questions Arise!
As usual, the pilot study has given rise to numerous questions.
Questions of time and evolution
Questions of metrics for complexity
Questions of culture in a global medium
Use of color
Use of language

32. “What is not measurable….
Aristotle
“What is not measurable….
make measurable”

33. Thanks! …for coming …to the reviewer for many helpful comments
…for the questions?

34. References
Ben-Bassat, T., Meyer, J. & Tractinsky, N. (2004). Using monetary incentives and auctions to elicit user preferences between usability and aesthetics. CHI ’04 extended abstracts on Human factors in computing systems,
Fogg, B. (2002). How do people evaluate a web site’s credibility? Results from a large study. Retrieved May 18, 2005 from:
Fogg, B. (2004). What makes a website credible? PowerPoint slides available by request at:
Hofstede, G. & Hofstede, G. J. (2005). Cultures and organizations software of the mind. New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

35. References (2)
Nielsen, J. (1993). Usability Engineering. New York, NY: Morgan Kaufmann.
Webster’s (1996). Encyclopedic unabridged dictionary of the English language. New York, NY: Gramercy Books.

36. Collectivist Countries Airlines
LAN (Chile)
Indian Airlines
Jet Airways (India)
Sri Lankan Air (India)
IranAir
Malaysia Airlines
Royal Brunei (Malaysia)
Copa Panama
TAP Air Portgual
EVA Air (Taiwan)
Thai Airways
Aeropostal (Venezuela)
Mexicana/2005
Aeromexico/2005
Lineas Aereas Azteca
Philippine Airlines
Cebu Airlines (Philippine)
Aerolineas Argentinas
Korean Air
Asiana Airlines (korea)
Air Jamaica
Gol Linhas Aereas (Brazil)
Varig (Brazil)

37. Individualistic Countries Airlines
Austrian Airlines
Qantas
SNBrussels Airlines
Air Canada
Westjet (Canada)
Finnair
Air France
Lufthansa
Alitalia
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
Air New Zealand
Swiss Air
British Airways

38. Comparison of means
Ses – Standard Error of Skewness – more than two, it is probably significantly skewed.

39. Navigation/Location/Layout
Foreign Airlines - Individualistic
US Airlines Large

40. Navigation/Location/Layout
US Airlines - Small

41. Navigation/Location/Layout
Foreign Airlines - Collectivist