Abstract
What makes an e-commerce company successful? In 2011 24% of venture capital in the US went into Internet companies adding up to a total of $6.9 billion (PwC & NVCA, 2011). With such high stakes the question of e-commerce success is more topical than ever. Google, one of the biggest e-commerce companies in the world, despite huge successful products like Google Search, has also seen failures. In this paper, we explore factors associated with successful and unsuccessful adoption of Google products using a literature study in conjunction with qualitative analysis of the Google Search, Google Health, and Google Plus products. Our research identifies key success factors for user adoption of Google products and predicts that Google Plus in its present form will lead to failure. The study shows that perceived compatibility, perceived usefulness, information quality, balancing risks with trust, and finally social pressure are important success factors for Google. Despite limiting the examination to Google products, results can serve as a guideline for other e-commerce ventures.
Chapter PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ackerman, M.S.L.F.: Privacy in E-Commerce: Examining User Scenarios and Privacy Preferences. In: ACM Conference on Electronic Commerce, pp. 1–8. ACM, Denver (1999)
Ahn, T., Ryu, S., Han, I.: The impact of the online and offline features on the user acceptance of Internet shopping malls. Electronic Commerce Research and Applications 3, 405–420 (2004)
Ajzen, I.: The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 50(2), 179–211 (1991)
Aladwani, A.M., Palvia, P.C.: Developing and validating an instrument for measuring user-perceived web quality. Information & Management 39, 467–476 (2002)
Al-Gahtani, S.S.: Modeling the electronic transactions acceptance using an extended technology acceptance model. Applied Computing and Informatics 9, 47–77 (2011)
Andrea Basso, D.G.: First impressions: emotional and cognitive factors underlying judgments of trust e-commerce. In: 3rd ACM Conference on Electronic Commerce, pp. 137–143. ACM, New York (2001)
Bagozzi, R.: The legacy of the technology acceptance model and a proposal for a paradigm shift. Journal of the Association for Information Systems 8(4), 244–254 (2007)
Ball, E.F., Carla Smith, N.F., Richard, S., Bakalar, M.: Personal Health Records: Empowering Consumers. Journal of Healthcare Information Management 21(1), 76–86 (2007)
Bettina Berendt, O.G.: Privavy in e-commerce: Stated Preferences vs. Actual Behavior. Comms. ACM 48(4), 101–106 (2005)
Bhatia, B.S.: A Framework for Determining Success Factors of an E-Commerce Initiative. Journal of Internet Commerce 1(2), 63–75 (2002)
Bhattacherjee, A.: Acceptance of E-Commerce Services: The Case of Electronic Brokerages. IEEE Transactions on Systemens, Man, And Cybernetics - Part A: Systems and Humans 30(4), 411–420 (2000)
Brandeis, S.D.: The Right to Privacy. Harvard Law Review 4(5), 193–220 (1890)
Chen, L.-D., Tan, J.: Technology Adaptation in E-commerce: Key Determinants of Virtual Stores Acceptance. European Management Journal 22(1), 74–86 (2004)
Chen, L.-D., Gillenson, M.L., Sherrell, D.L.: Enticing online customers: an extended technology acceptance perspective. Information & Management 39, 705–719 (2002)
Chervany, D.H.: What Trust Means in E-Commerce Customer Relationships: An Interdisciplinary Conceptual Typology. International Journal of Electronic Commerce / Winter 6(2), 35–59 (2001-2002)
Collier, J.E., Bienstock, C.C.: Measuring Service Quality in E-Retailing. Journal of Service Research 8, 260 (2006)
ComScore. comScore Releases June 2012 U.S. Search Engine Rankings (July 11, 2012, ) retrieved from comScore, http://www.comscore.com/Press_Events/Press_Releases/2012/6/comScore_Releases_June_2012_U.S._Search_Engine_Rankings
Corritore, C.L., Kracher, B., Wiedenbeck, S.: On-line trust: concepts, evolving themes, a model. Int. J. Human-Computer Studies 58, 737–758 (2003)
Crespo, A.H.: Explaining B2C e-commerce acceptance: An integrative model based on the framework by Gatignon and Robertson. Interacting with Computer 20, 212–224 (2008)
Davis, F.D.: Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and user acceptance of information technology. MIS Quarterly 13(3), 319–340 (1989)
DeLone, W.: The DeLone and McLean model of information systems success: a ten-year update. Journal of Management Information Systems 19, 9–30 (2003)
Desmedt, S.M.: Preliminary Analysis of Google+’s Privacy. In: 18th ACM Conference on Computer and Communications Security, pp. 17–21 (October 2011)
Dubinsky, Z.C.: A Conceptual Model of Perceived Customer Value in E-Commerce: A Prelimniary Investigation. Psychology & Marketing 20(4), 323–347 (2003)
Dwivedi, Y., Rana, N., Chen, H., Williams, M.: A Meta-analysis of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). In: Governance and Sustainability in Information Systems. Managing the Transfer and Diffusion of IT, pp. 155–170 (2011)
Eastin, M.S.: Diffusion of e-commerce: an analysis of the adoption of four e-commerce activities. Telematics and Informatics 197, 251–267 (2002)
Egger, F.N.: Affective Design of E-commerce User Interfaces: How to Maximise Perceived Trustworthiness. In: International Conference on Affective Human Factors Design. Asean Academic Press, London (2001)
Freeman, M., Hyland, P.: The current state of Australian Online Supermarket Usability. In: ACIS 2003 Proceedings. Paper 102, vol. 1 (2003)
Freudenthal, D.: Age differences in the performance of. Behaviour & Information Technology 20(1), 9–22 (2001)
Gefen, D., Karahanna, E., Straub, D.W.: Trust and TAM in Online Shopping: An Integrated Model. MIS Quarterly 27(1), 51–90 (2003)
Google. An update on Google Health and Google PowerMeter (June 24, 2011) Retrieved from Google Official Blog, http://googleblog.blogspot.nl/2011/06/update-on-google-health-and-google.html
Google Inc. Our History in depth (August 14, 2012) retrieved from Google, http://www.google.com/intl/en/about/company/history/
Green, D.T., Pearson, J.M.: Integrating website usability with the electronic commerce acceptance model. Behaviour & Information Technology 30(2), 181–199 (2011)
Griffiths, J.R.: The Commercialized Web: Challenges for Libraries and Democracy. library trends, 539–554 (2005)
Han, L., Jin, Y.: A Review of Technology Acceptance Model in the E-commerce Environment. In: International Conference on Management of e-Commerce and e-Government, pp. 28–31. IEEE, Nanchang (2009)
Hernández, B., Jiménez, J., MartÃn, M.J.: Customer behavior in electronic commerce: The moderating effect of e-purchasing experience. Journal of Business Research 63, 964–971 (2010)
Hernández-GarcÃa, A., Iglesias-Pradas, S., Chaparro-Peláez, J., Pascual-Miguel, F.: Perceived Compatibility and the Adoption of B2C E-Commerce by Non-buyers,Organizational, Business, and Technological Aspects of the Knowledge Society. Communications in Computer and Information Science 112, 186–192 (2010)
Hicks, M.: Plug in to customers – Usability testing, tools help prevent site flaws, reveal secrets to Web success. eWeek 19(4) (2002)
Kalakota, R.A.: Electronic Commerce: A Manager’s Guide. Addison-Wesley (1997)
Karahanna, E., Agarwal, R., Angst, C.: Reconceptualizing Compatibility Beliefs. MIS Quarterly 30(4) (2006)
Kim, C., Galliers, R.D., Shin, N., Ryoo, J.-H., Kim, J.: Factors influencing Internet shopping value and customer repurchase intention. Electronic Commerce Research and Applications 11, 374–387 (2012)
Kim, H.-W., Xu, Y., Gupta, S.: Which is more important in Internet shopping, perceived price or trust? Electronic Commerce Research and Applications 11, 241–252 (2012)
Klopping, I.M., McKinney, E.: Extending the Technology Acceptance Model and the Task-Technology Tit model to consumer e-commerce. Information Technology, Learning, and Performance Journal 22(1), 35–48 (2004)
Koufaris, M., Hampton-Sosa, W.: The development of initial trust in an online company by new customers. Information & Management 41, 377–397 (2004)
Lee, D., Park, J., Ahn, J.-H.: On the Explanation of Factors Affecting E-Commerce Adoption. In: ICIS 2001 Proceedings. Paper 14 (2001)
Lee, G.-G., Lin, H.-F.: Customer perceptions of e-service quality in online shopping. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management 33(2), 161–176 (2005)
Lee, M.K., Shi, N., Cheung, C.M., Lim, K.H., Sia, C.L.: Consumer’s decision to shop online: The moderating role of positive informational social influence. Information & Management 48, 185–191 (2011)
Lee, M.-C.: Factors influencing the adoption of internet banking: An integration of TAM and TPB with perceived risk and perceived benefit. Electronic Commerce Research and Applications 8, 130–141 (2009)
Liu, C., Arnett, K.P.: Exploring the factors associated with Web site success in the context of electronic commerce. Information & Management 38, 23–33 (2000)
McKnight, D.H., Chervany, N.L..; (2001-2002),What Trust Means in E-Commerce Customer Relationships: An Interdisciplinary Conceptual Typology,International Journal of Electronic Commerce,Volume 6, Number 2, p35-59
Miles, M.B., Huberman, A.M.: Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook. Sage (1994)
Miller, K.: Communications theories: perspectives, processes, and contexts. McGraw-Hill, New York (2005)
Pagliari, D.D.: Potential of electronic personal health records. BMJ 335, 330–333 (2007)
Pavlou, P.A.: Consumer Acceptance of Electronic Commerce: Integrating Trust and Risk with the Technology Acceptance Model. International Journal of Electronic Commerce 7(3), 69–103 (2003)
Poelhekke, K.: Over Google’s personaliseringsmechanismen, de gevaren ervan en de rol van Google+ (2011)
PwC & NVCA, MoneyTree report. PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and the National Venture Capital Association, NVCA (2011)
Reichheld, F.F., Sasser, W.J.: Zero Defections: Quality Comes to Services. Harvard Business Review, 105–111 (1990)
Rogers, E.M.: Diffusion of Innovations. Free Press, New York (1983)
Saarinen, T., Sääksjärvi, M.: Process and product success in information systems development. Journal of Strategic Information Systems 1, 266–277 (1992)
Santos, J.: E-service quality: a model of virtual service quality dimensions. Managing Service Quality 13(3), 233–246 (2012)
Shih, H.-P.: An empirical study on predicting user acceptance of e-shopping on the Web. Information Management 41, 351–368 (2004)
Spiekermann, J.G.: E-privacy in 2nd Generation E-Commerce: Privacy Preferences versus actual Behavior. In: EC 2001, October 14-17. ACM, Tampa (2001)
Spil, T.A., Schuring, R.W., Michel-Verkerke, M.B.: Electronic prescription system: do the professionals USE IT? Int. J. Healthcare Technology Management 6(1), 32–55 (2004)
Spil, T.A., Michel-Verkerke, M.B.: De waarde van informatie in de gezondheidswereld, Eburon, Delft (2012)
Sunyaev, D.C.: Evaluation Framework for Personal Health Records: Microsoft HealthVault vs. Google Health. In: 43rd Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, pp. 1–10 (2010)
Turban, M.K.: A Trust Model for Consumer Internet Shopping. International Journal of Electronic Commerce 6, 75–91 (2011)
Udo, G.J.: Privacy and security as mojor barriers for e-commerce: a survey study. Information Management & Computer Security, 165–174 (2001)
Urbach, N., Muller, B.: The Updated DeLone and McLean Model of Information Systems Success. Information Systems Theory Integrated Series in Information Systems 28, 1–18 (2012)
Venkatesh, V.A.: A theoretical extension of the Technoly Acceptance Model: Four longitudal field studies. Management Science 46(2), 186–204 (2000)
Venkatesh, V., Morris, M.G., Davis, G.B., Davis, F.D.: User Acceptance of Information Technology: Toward a Unified View. MIS Quarterly 27(3), 425–478 (2003)
Wang, Y.-S.: Assessing e-commerce systems success: a respecification and vali on of the DeLone and McLean model of IS success. Info Systems 18, 529–557 (2008)
Yin, R.K.: Case study research: Design and methods, 2nd edn. Sage, Thousand Oaks (1994)
Zeithaml, V.A., Parasuraman, A., Malhotra, A.: Service Quality Delivery Through Web Sites: A Critical Review of Extant Knowledge. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science 30(4), 362–375 (2002)
Zeuthaml, V., Berry, L., Parasuraman, A.: The behavior consequences of service quality. Journal of Marketing 60, 31–46 (1996)
Zhou, T., Zhang, S.: Examining the Effect of E-commerce Website Quality on User Satisfaction. In: Second International Symposium on Electronic Commerce and Security, pp. 418–421. IEEE, Nanchang (2009)
Zwass, V.: Electronic commerce: structures and issues. International Journal of Electronic Commerce 1(1), 3 (1996)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2013 IFIP International Federation for Information Processing
About this paper
Cite this paper
Landeweerd, M., Spil, T., Klein, R. (2013). The Success of Google Search, the Failure of Google Health and the Future of Google Plus. In: Dwivedi, Y.K., Henriksen, H.Z., Wastell, D., De’, R. (eds) Grand Successes and Failures in IT. Public and Private Sectors. TDIT 2013. IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology, vol 402. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-38862-0_14
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-38862-0_14
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-38861-3
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-38862-0
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)