The article "Service Quality Delivery Through Web Sites: A Critical Review of Extant Knowledge" by Valarie A. Zeithaml, A. Parasuraman, and Arvind Malhotra reviews the literature on service quality delivery through websites, emphasizing the importance of understanding how customers perceive and evaluate online customer service. The authors highlight that while web presence and low prices were initially seen as key drivers of success, service quality has become a critical differentiator. They define electronic service quality (e-SQ) as the extent to which a website facilitates efficient and effective shopping, purchasing, and delivery of products and services. The article discusses the criteria customers use to evaluate e-SQ, including information availability, ease of use, privacy/security, graphic style, and fulfillment. It also reviews the measurement of e-SQ, noting that while there is a growing body of research, most scales are ad hoc and lack empirical validation. The authors compare the assessment of e-SQ with traditional service quality, highlighting differences in expectations, dimensions, and cognitive-emotional content. They find that e-SQ is more cognitive than emotional, with customers focusing on goal-directed behaviors rather than emotional responses. The article further explores the organizational deficiencies that can contribute to poor e-SQ, such as gaps in information, design, and communication. It suggests that companies need to bridge these gaps to improve e-SQ. Additionally, the authors discuss the antecedents and consequences of e-SQ, noting that technology readiness is related to perceptions of e-SQ but empirical evidence is limited. Finally, the article identifies gaps in the literature and suggests future research directions, including the need for more rigorous attention to the concept of e-SQ, further empirical testing of scales, and the development of a measurement scale that can capture both online and offline service quality.The article "Service Quality Delivery Through Web Sites: A Critical Review of Extant Knowledge" by Valarie A. Zeithaml, A. Parasuraman, and Arvind Malhotra reviews the literature on service quality delivery through websites, emphasizing the importance of understanding how customers perceive and evaluate online customer service. The authors highlight that while web presence and low prices were initially seen as key drivers of success, service quality has become a critical differentiator. They define electronic service quality (e-SQ) as the extent to which a website facilitates efficient and effective shopping, purchasing, and delivery of products and services. The article discusses the criteria customers use to evaluate e-SQ, including information availability, ease of use, privacy/security, graphic style, and fulfillment. It also reviews the measurement of e-SQ, noting that while there is a growing body of research, most scales are ad hoc and lack empirical validation. The authors compare the assessment of e-SQ with traditional service quality, highlighting differences in expectations, dimensions, and cognitive-emotional content. They find that e-SQ is more cognitive than emotional, with customers focusing on goal-directed behaviors rather than emotional responses. The article further explores the organizational deficiencies that can contribute to poor e-SQ, such as gaps in information, design, and communication. It suggests that companies need to bridge these gaps to improve e-SQ. Additionally, the authors discuss the antecedents and consequences of e-SQ, noting that technology readiness is related to perceptions of e-SQ but empirical evidence is limited. Finally, the article identifies gaps in the literature and suggests future research directions, including the need for more rigorous attention to the concept of e-SQ, further empirical testing of scales, and the development of a measurement scale that can capture both online and offline service quality.