The Influence of Uncertainty Avoidance on Consumer Perceptions of Global e-Commerce Sites

We examine the effect of Hofstede’s (2001) cultural dimension of uncertainty avoidance (UA) on consumer perceptions of eloyalty. Viewing information quality, trust, and system quality as uncertainty reduction mechanisms, UA is hypothesized to moderate relationships involving these constructs in a recognized model of IS success. Using data drawn from over 3,500 actual consumers from 38 different countries, and controlling for the impact of other cultural dimensions, results suggest that UA moderates the effects of information quality on perceived usefulness, and of trust on e-loyalty, but not system quality relationships. The moderating effect of UA on the information quality-satisfaction relationship was non-significant, indicating uncertainty reduction effects may operate via a cognitive rather than an affective route. We close with implications.