Determinants of Customer Loyalty in E-Commerce in Cameroon: An Analysis of Key Success Factors and the Moderating Effect of the Payment Experience

Abstract

Objective : Identifying key success factors (KSFs) in e-commerce is crucial for the sustainability of businesses, particularly in emerging economies such as Cameroon. This research aims to empirically validate a conceptual model of KSFs influencing Cameroonian consumer loyalty, going beyond linear approaches to explore the interaction effects between these factors.

Methodology : A questionnaire survey was conducted among 161 online consumers, covering their profiles, motivations, and barriers to online shopping. After validating the measurement scales using Cronbach's alpha, bivariate analyses, multiple linear regression, and interaction tests were performed using R software.

Results : The final model is globally significant and explains 18.8% of the variance in customer loyalty (adjusted R² = 0.188). The analysis reveals a novel moderating effect: the impact of logistical barriers on loyalty depends significantly on the level of satisfaction with the payment method (p = 0.041). The FCS hierarchy shows that age (standardized β = -0.799 for age group 4) and professional activity are powerful but unchangeable predictors, while the impact of payment method (β = +0.292, p < 0.001) is the only major positive lever for managerial action.

Originality : This study contributes to the literature on e-commerce in the African context by demonstrating the conditional nature of the relationships between the determinants of loyalty, thereby enriching recent work conducted on the continent. It proposes a segmented and prioritized framework for action for practitioners, emphasizing that logistics management must be adapted to the level of satisfaction with payment.