Fulfilled Expectations: Key to Customer Loyalty in Digital Home-Sharing Platforms

Abstract

This paper explores the critical role of fulfilment of expectations in shaping customer loyalty in digital platforms, specifically within the context of home-sharing services. Building on the frameworks of Expectation-Disconfirmation Theory and the Technology Acceptance Model, this research explores the relationship between perceived quality, satisfaction, and loyalty. Based on a survey completed by 408 consumers of home-sharing platforms, this study uses structural equation modelling to assess the linear and nonlinear relationships among the proposed dimensions. Notably, the results show that fulfilment of expectations mediates the link between satisfaction and loyalty in home-sharing platforms. A key finding is that excessive social interaction with hosts can have a negative impact on fulfilment of expectations, adding a nuanced understanding of host-guest dynamics in shared accommodations. The study also differentiates between two types of satisfaction—toward the platform and the host—and their distinct contributions to loyalty. This research addresses a significant gap in existing literature by exploring both the linear and nonlinear interplay of these factors in the, offering new insights into how digital platforms can enhance customer loyalty and satisfaction.