e-Commerce Analyzing Messaging in e-Commerce

The dynamics of communication online are drastically different than offline or through hybrid communication and e-commerce channels, influencing behavior differently as a result (Sliwa, 1999). The communication process comprised of the steps of purpose, sender, receiver, message, environment, technology, noise, and feedback are used as the foundation of this analysis. The content and context of each of these steps in the communication process will also vary with the intended behavior that is anticipated from a prospect or buyer (Sliwa, 1999). What unifies the communication process across online, offline and hybrid channels is the need to establish trust and consistency that prospects and customers can count on when completing transactions (Antoniou, Batten, 2011).

Analysis of the Communications Process

The behavior of attracting and selling to prospects and customers online requires a strong foundation of accuracy in product descriptions, consistency of pricing and transaction workflows, and most importantly, trust conveyed throughout the communications process (Celuch, Bantham, Kasouf, 2011). Each of the eight stages of the communication process are analyzed form the context of nurturing product or service trial online entirely over a website.

The purpose of the website must be accurate, predictable and understandable by a broad audience of prospects and customers if it is to serve as the foundation of effective communication processes (Benaroch, Appari, 2011)....

The purpose of an e-commerce site must also concentrate on creating a high level of trust through authenticity and consistency of its messaging and reliability of its products and services delivering what they promise (Celuch, Bantham, Kasouf, 2011). The purpose of the website is the promise made to prospects and existing customers about the value of the product delivered or the validity of the service, it is a covenant or contract with them that create an expectation that needs to be met or exceeded. This is particularly the case in the area of purchaser security and privacy (Antoniou, Batten, 2011). The intended behavior is to engage with the prospect or customer and initiate a trial of a product or service online.
In the Send role of communications, the interactive nature of a website, from the use of JavaScript and videos to online chat, are the prominent areas of achieving this step in the communication process. The Sender role in an e-commerce site needs to also concentrate on framing communications to ensure a very high level of relevancy and contextual trust if they are to be believed and acted on (Celuch, Bantham, Kasouf, 2011). The intended behavior from this step of the communication process is to have the prospect visiting the e-commerce site be receptive to the message, it's content and the credibility of the sender. The Receiver role in the communications process in the context of an e-commerce website needs to take into account the context, relevancy and any filters that could potentially buffer out the messaging. The Receiver…