The effects of service quality of hybrid electronic commerce platform on consumer’s purchase intention: An assemblage theory approach

This study addresses a gap in hybrid e-commerce research by examining consumer response across four business assemblages, differentiated by store operation modes (platform-operated store vs. third-party sellers) and logistics modes (platform-operated logistics vs. third-party logistics). Grounded in assemblage theory, the research investigates how electronic service quality (ESQ) and logistics service quality (LSQ) collectively influence consumer satisfaction (SAT) and purchase intention (PUR). A 2 × 2 between-subjects survey experiment (N = 1241) was designed to simulate these service configurations. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and regression techniques. The results indicated that platform-operated stores coupled with third-party logistics achieved the highest ratings in ESQ and LSQ, SAT, and PUR. Furthermore, ESQ indirectly influenced PUR through SAT. However, in cases where both store and logistics services were provided by the same entity, ESQ did not significantly affect PUR, whereas LSQ exerted a significant direct effect. The study contributes to the literature in several ways: (1) applying assemblage theory to the e-commerce context; (2) examining the joint effects of ESQ and LSQ on consumer purchase behaviour; and (3) extending research on hybrid-e-commerce platform from a consumer perspective. These findings offer actionable insights for platform operators and third-party sellers in selecting optimal combinations of store and logistics models.