Model for Digital Service Satisfaction: extending Expectation Confirmation Theory for online food ordering platforms

Abstract

Extending the expectation confirmation theory (ECT) and the value-belief-norm (VBN) theory, this study investigated the role of lifestyle convenience motivation (LCM), platform service quality (PSQ), and platform eco-consciousness (PEC) as cognitive antecedents impacting digital service satisfaction (DSS) for online food ordering platforms. Quantitative research was conducted among current millennial consumers of online food ordering services. SmartPLS 4-SEM was used to analyze the findings. The results indicate that LCM, PSQ, and PEC significantly impact DSS. Collectively, LCM, PSQ, and PEC explain 70.6% of the DSS variance. Furthermore, PEC has a mediating role in the influence of LCM and PSQ on DSS. The study makes critical theoretical contributions by examining DSS within digital service environments using the extended ECT. Moreover, this study integrates VBN into the ECT framework for online food ordering services.

The study offers actionable insights toward understanding new age consumer expectations. The findings provide strategic direction to online food businesses, service platforms, cloud kitchens and sustainability advocates, to identify new opportunities to engage with digital-first consumers. Platform and digital service managers would benefit to incorporate belief-based metrics into all developments pertaining to UX design, AI and embed sustainability as a core in communication strategies for building deeper consumer connect.