H4: Trust in an offline bank positively influences perceived extent of use of an online bank.
G. Online to Online Model Relationships
Perceived structural assurance also relates to website satisfaction. Depending upon the extent of customers’ misgivings regarding the purchasing environment, they may be more committed to the website (and thus more satisfied), or less committed to it (and thus less satisfied). It is hard to feel satisfied with a website about which one is concerned in terms of safeguards. Such concerns may increase cognitive overhead. Hence, lack of structural assurance may interfere with the development of website satisfaction. Security signs or logos indicating the existence of website security systems have also been shown to lessen the psychological burden of online customers [34], which should facilitate website satisfaction.
H5: Online bank structural assurance positively influences perceived online bank website satisfaction.
Web satisfaction is dependent on both information quality and system quality [69]. Information quality encompasses web design factors and hypertext document quality. System quality embraces user interface, navigation, and information structure. To the extent that a site user experiences flow, the user will feel positive towards the system and information quality of the website, both of which affect web satisfaction. The user experiencing flow will: a) devote attention to the site, b) experience greater coherence, and c) enjoy using the site because of its good content and design. Therefore, flow will be positively related to perceived website satisfaction.
H6: Online bank system user flow positively influences perceived online bank website satisfaction.
Enjoyment of the online shopping experience is an important determinant of customer loyalty [28, 49]. Concentration, a measure of flow, has also been found to positively influence the overall experience of computer users and their intention to use a system again [104]. Flow should improve customers’ perceived coherence, which will lead users to want to use the system. As flow becomes greater, customers tend to become more absorbed in the website. Flow is a pleasurable experience, something users desire. Thus, the pleasure behind flow will increase the likelihood that users will utilize the website again.
H7: Online bank system user flow positively influences perceived extent of use of an online banking system.
Meanwhile, structural assurance can influence website extent of use. Because online banking activity is especially vulnerable to financial risks [13, 86], trustworthy structural assurance relieves the tension of customers and lowers cognitive overhead, both of which will improve their perceived extent of use. Structural assurance lowers perceived transaction risks [34, 72], which allows customers a more active interaction with online banking websites. Suh and Han [98] found that such structural assurances as nonrepudiation, privacy protection, and data integrity indirectly influenced both intention to use a website and actual use through trust in the website.
H8: Online bank structural assurance positively influences perceived extent of use of an online banking system.
Feelings of interactivity (indicating flow [44, 55]) will be influenced by the perceived safety of online banking transactions (indicating structural assurance [34, 72]). One may have trouble reaching a state of flow unless one feels safe about the online vendor’s website. Once the online banking environment is considered safe, one can use the website without concern, making flow more likely.
H9: Online bank structural assurance positively influences online bank system user flow.
Many researchers believe that the extent of use varies with the level of satisfaction with the technology [8, 19, 23]. It has been well documented that customer satisfaction affects repeat purchases, product return rates, brand loyalty and the prevalence of word-of-mouth communications [18]. Satisfaction and trust in websites affects purchasing intentions [8, 19, 23, 103]. Greater satisfaction with a website means that customers favor those products, leading to increased intent to use.
H10: Perceived online bank website satisfaction positively influences perceived extent of use of an online banking system.
A boundary condition should be noted for H1-H4: the effects of offline trust will likely be strongest when consumers have little experience with online banking. After some period of online bank experience, online banking variables, such as website satisfaction, will play a more important role than will offline bank trust. This boundary condition will be tested using two subsets of customers—first-time users and experienced users. Results will be presented after the hypothesis tests.
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