Antecedents of Virtual Community Satisfaction and Loyalty: An Empirical Test of Competing Theories

The rapid growth of virtual communities (VCs) on the Internet raises important research questions regarding the antecedents of satisfaction and loyalty in VCs. This study compared the technology acceptance model (TAM), Seddon Information Systems Success Model (Seddon model), and an integrated model (combining the TAM and Seddon model) to examine which model best helps to predict user satisfaction with VCs. Using a structural equation model, data collected from 198 community members were used to compare the three models in terms of overall model fit, explanatory power, and path significance. The findings show that two TAM components (perceived usefulness and ease of use) are determinants of user satisfaction with VCs. This study also found the influence of quality-perception dimensions (e.g., system and information quality) on user satisfaction to be significant. Additionally, this study found general support for user satisfaction as a determinant of loyalty in VCs. Finally, an integrated model, combining the TAM and Seddon model, provided better explanatory power than either the TAM or the Seddon model alone. Finally, this study discusses the implications of these findings and offers directions for future research.