Measuring the mediating role of e-trust in the relationship between e-service quality and e-loyalty on gen Z users of the shopee Apps

This study aims to investigate the effect of e-service quality, e-trust, and e-loyalty on Shopee application users Gen Z in Malang. This observation demographic consists of Shopee application users in Malang City, which is included in the Z generation. This research is included in the category of explanatory research using a quantitative approach. Primary data is obtained from the facts collected by sending questionnaires to 150 respondents who have used the Shopee application, as well as using the Gform application to distribute data. Data analysis using partial least squares (SEM-PLS) 3.3 software to test the validity, reliability, path analysis, and testing of mediation variables. The findings of this study indicate that e-service quality has a positive effect and directly affects e-loyalty. The direct effect of e-service quality on e-trust also has a positive and significant influence. The findings of this study also show that e-trust is able to mediate the influence of e-service quality on the e-loyalty. Conclusion In the results of this study, it is expected that the Shopee e-commerce application will continue to be able to improve the quality of goods and services to the maximum, which is useful for attracting customers to be loyal. Increasing e-service quality provided by service providers, especially e-commerce, will affect customer loyalty and encourage repeated use of applications. © 2023 by the authors. Licensee SSBFNET, Istanbul, Turkey. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (


Introduction
The Internet revolution has significantly impacted modern society by facilitating worldwide connection by making tasks more straightforward and quicker (Dwivedi et al., 2021).This convenience also makes it possible to reach business activities at a global level.This revolution has become the spearhead of a massive online sales system for interconnected global business activities.The development of internet technology has been able to create space for consumer buying and selling activities.Advances in internet technology in the current era have become the root of every business and its practices (Mota & Cilento, 2020).The existence of the internet has triggered the emergence of new businesses, better known as e-commerce.E-commerce is an online business transaction carried out via the internet and devices that are integrated with the internet (Jain et al., 2021).This event certainly provides many benefits for consumers in terms of time and cost efficiency in purchasing or selling activities.
According to the most recent Snapcart research institute poll in 2018-2020, the millennial generation is the largest buyer in the ecommerce industry, with a proportion of 50% (25-34 years).The Indonesian e-commerce sector is fast expanding and is rapidly becoming the core of economic and technical growth in the Indonesian market, particularly in the Malang City area.Malang is the second most populated city in East Java, behind Surabaya.According to statistics from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) in 2020, the population of Malang City reached over 887 thousand people, with more than half of them being young, millennials, and members of Generation Z.This is also a breath of fresh air for the city's e-commerce economy.According to Statista (2022), the number of ecommerce app downloads has expanded proportionately to the number of prominent e-commerce businesses in Indonesia, including Tokopedia, Shopee, Bukalapak, Lazada, Blibli, and others.E-commerce visitors in Indonesia are quite high in terms of consumption.Along with the intense competition between e-commerce sites, companies are required to be more careful and creative in building and determining competitive strategies.The problems that arise as a result of this phenomenon make customer loyalty increasingly difficult to obtain.According to a survey conducted by W&S Group in 2015 regarding e-commerce, it showed that consumers had a tendency to move to other sites or applications by 50.2%.The development of an all-digital era requires companies to be able to invest various efforts in gaining competitive advantage in order to achieve sustainable profitability growth in competitive markets (Yu et al., 2021).The quality of e-services given by e-commerce apps has a major influence on e-loyalty; high e-service quality will make every transaction more convenient and straightforward (Gull et al., 2020).
Customer loyalty to a corporation or service organization may be increased by providing high-quality service.The quality of eservices is critical in building e-loyalty to products or services.The greater consumer loyalty to a product or service, the better the level of service delivered.Jongmans et al., (2022) proposed the notion of User Experience (UX) as a means of increasing user happiness and building trust while engaging with a website.It may be constructed on five aspects, including strategy, scope, structure, framework, and surface, so that visitors can easily achieve their goals when using a website.This convenience makes users happy, which increases their commitment to the website.E-service quality refers to a website or application's ability to facilitate transactions efficiently and effectively (Kalia & Paul, 2021).Several studies, including research by Shafiee and Bazargan (2018) and Gull et al. (2020), have been done to discover factors connected to e-loyalty.Moreover, Khan et al. (2019) The results of this study suggest that impacts of e-service quality on e-loyalty.These findings contradict Pradnyadewi and Giantari's (2022) and Chang et al.'s (2009) findings.According to Wang et al. (2018), while e-service quality has a positive impact on electronic customer satisfaction, it does not appear to have a significant impact on electronic customer loyalty.
These various study findings offer scholars the possibility to perform additional in-depth research on these factors.Previous study results in inconsistent findings, which might be an intriguing study gap for future research from the impact of e-service quality on eloyalty.Other elements are required to drive the effect of e-service quality on e-loyalty in this research gap.Mediating variables are used to close the gaps in this research.There is a connection between e-trust and e-loyalty, the higher a user's e-trust in a website or application service, will greater the e-loyalty they get (Purba & Tirtayani, 2021).E-trust has the capacity to grow and develop eloyalty towards businesses (Akroush et al., 2021).E-trust on certain websites or online businesses is also an important issue in online transactions because consumers are worried about the risk of fraud or insecurity of consumers' personal data.This research needs to be carried out because many e-commerce sites in Indonesia have not been able to make users loyal to one e-commerce site.
This research aims to provide strategic advice to identify factors that can influence the increase in e-loyalty among Shopee users in Malang City.

Theory Reasoned Action (TRA), Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), dan Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)
Ajzen initially proposed the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) in 1980, assuming aware and deliberate human activity.According to this view, a person's desire to carry out a conduct impacts the result.Ajzen further emphasized that behavioral beliefs give rise to attitudes, whereas normative beliefs give rise to subjective standards (Kotler & Amstrong, 2018).Ajzen (1988) pioneered the notion of perceived behavioral control, which evolved into the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) in understanding individuals' constraints in carrying out specific activities, such as attitudes, subjective norms, and control beliefs.Davis (1989) created the Technology Acceptance paradigm (TAM), a paradigm based on Fishbein and Ajzen's (1988) theory of reasoned action.The TAM paradigm connects cognitive concepts with individual attitudes and behavior toward technology acceptance.TAM is then utilized to explain individual receiver behavior in relation to information technology, leading to the conclusion that perceived ease of use is the most important factor of technology adoption.

E-Loyalty
Loyalty as present when a favorable attitude to a brand is manifested in repeat purchasing behavior (Kotler & Armstrong, 2018).E-Loyalty is very important to achieve long-term company profits (Raza et al., 2020).E-Loyalty is also considered a positive attitude and behavior that persists over time for a particular brand (Pham et al., 2020).E-loyalty is known as repeat purchases and a positive attitude of consumers or users to visit a website or application (Gull, et al., (2020).E-loyalty is a preferential response, attitude and behavior of one or more towards online brands in a product category expressed over a period of time determined by consumers Rodríguez et al., (2021).

E-Service Quality
E-service quality refers to an internet site's or application's ability to assist transactions swiftly and effectively.The quality of eservices can be described as a whole client assessment and appraisal (Zehir & Narckara, 2016;Kalia & Paul, 2021).E-service quality is a worldwide evaluation of the shipping of providers pleasant through websites and the improvement of digital providers best in an agency.E-service quality, as described by Theodosiou et al. (2019), is the quantity to which service quality can correctly and efficaciously address relevant patron wishes.The pleasantness of an agency's electronic services cannot be divorced from patron loyalty to a product or service.E-service quality, in line with Gull et al. (2020), has a positive and significant effect on e-loyalty.
H1: E-service quality has a significant effect on e-loyalty

E-Trust
Pham et al. ( 2020) describe e-trust as customers' readiness to accept capacity risks in online transactions.Due to the fact that the perceived chance is greater in online transactions, e-trust is extraordinarily considerable (Emamdin & Singh, 2021).E-trust is customer faith in a website or application, and the better the e-service quality provided, the better the e-trust (Tran & Vu, 2019).Jesse James Garrett's concept of user experience (UX), which addresses human-computer interaction (HCI), strengthens the relationship between e-trust and e-loyalty.While customers obtain their objectives, they may have a good revel in, which can also enhance their contentment and self-belief, allowing them to use and suggest the identical provider again (Jongmans et al., 2022).In step with Emamdin and Singh (2021), e-trust is a crucial motivator for online purchases.It is also one of the most crucial factors in developing long-term relationships with customers, particularly in terms of maintaining consumer confidentiality and dedication to supplying first-rate service over time.
H2: E-service quality has a significant effect on e-trust H3: E-trust has a significant effect on e-loyalty Tran and Vu (2019) show that e-services quality has increases behavioral intention indirectly through e-trust.When these expectations are honored, the trust that leads to consumer loyalty is developed.Trust is also a critical component in developing long-term consumer connections.The concept of user experience (UX) from human-computer interaction (HCI) that increases user satisfaction and trust and explains a person's perceptions and responses resulting from interactions between users or customers and websites also supports e-trust relationships that mediate on relationship between e-services quality and e-loyalty.In general, trust is developed between a company and its clients through efficiency and a focus on the demands of the customer (Metz et al., 2020).
H4: E-trust mediates the effect of e-service quality on e-loyalty

Research and Methodology
This study uses explanatory research methodologies to objectively test hypotheses by examining the link between each variable using statistical procedures and quantitative approaches.This study's demographics include of Shopee app users on Gen Z Malang City's, with the following criteria: Users must have the Shopee app and have purchased at least three times within the previous six months.Purposive sampling was employed to determine the number of samples in this investigation.According to Hair et al. (2014), if the population is unknown, a sample size calculation method can be used, with calculations based on the factors or indicators in the research.As a result, it was acquired.The sample size includes 150 Gen Z respondents from Malang City who use the Shopee application.The suggested questionnaire employs a typical Likert scale (1-5) to assess the extent to which respondents express their thoughts on a specified scale.To analyse the data, the partial least squares structural equation modeling (SEM-PLS) approach was utilized.The goal of employing PLS data analysis is to assess the modified outcomes of multiple research models in order to create an overall picture of the variables researched (Garson, 2016).In this study, the e-service quality variable is measured using indicators developed by Theodosiou et al. (2019).E-trust employs indicators based on the study of Al-ma'aitah and Al-Hashem (2019).Furthermore, according to study, eloyalty employs two indicators: extra loyalty and behavioral loyalty (Othman et al., 2019).

Findings and Discussions
According to table 1, the majority of respondents in this survey (122 persons or 74.7%) were between the ages of 21 and 26.According to these findings, the bulk of Shopee app users are between the ages of 21 and 26.Gen Z is a generation that is aware of current events through the media or the internet.Because they were born and grew up in the middle of technological advancements, Gen Z's lives cannot be isolated from the internet.According to gender criteria, women outnumber males by 81 persons, or approximately 54%.These findings indicate that women are enthusiastic about utilizing the Shoppe application platform, whether for buying or selling things.According to the table of respondents' most recent educational characteristics, Shopee application users with at least a high school/equivalent education account for 106 persons, or around 29.3% of all respondents.According to the respondent data, respondents with a high school/equivalent education in this study had a strong interest in carrying out transaction activities on the Shoppe application.The amount of education had little impact since, as shown in the table, the respondents in this study had varying levels of education.The bulk of respondents in this survey, 150 participants, or about 100%, were students in the employment table.According to (Bisnistempo, 2023), users on social media or e-commerce platforms are dominated by young individuals aged 18 to 25 years.In terms of monthly income/pocket money, 36.7% or 55 respondents reported income/pocket money ranging from IDR. 1,000,000 to IDR. 2,000,000 per month.Someone with a somewhat large income likes something that is practical, simple, and does not take a long time to complete.A person's desire to continue following current trends might also be influenced by their income level.

Descriptive Statistic
The factors considered in this study are e-service quality, e-trust, and e-loyalty.Table 2 shows the findings, as well as the average value of responses provided by respondents.

Measurement Model Analysis
Ghozali and Latan (2021) advised testing data quality in this study using convergent and discriminant validity.A result between 0.50 and 0.60 is deemed adequate; if it corresponds with a value more than 0.70, it is said to be in the high category.Table 3 shows the results of the validity and reliability tests in further detail (Ghozali, 2021).3, all statement items for the variables e-service quality, e-trust, and e-loyalty have loading factor and AVE values more than 0.5, implying that all statement items employed are legitimate according to Ghozali (2021).The same may be said about Discriminant Validity.All of the roots of the AVE of each construct are larger than the correlation with other variables, especially greater than 0.50.As a result, the items employed in this study may be determined to be genuine.The reliability test is performed after the validity of the data has been determined using Cronbach's alpha and composite reliability values.Table 4 shows the reliability test results.According to table 4 above, the data and results of the measurements demonstrate that the Cronbach Alpha and Composite Reability values are more than 0.7.This signifies that the measuring equipment used in this study for all latent variables are trustworthy and adequate for usage (Ghozali, 2021).

Structural Model Analysis
The purpose of evaluating the structural model (inner model) is to apply significant concepts to find out the link among latent variables (Abdillah, Willy, and Jogiyanto, 2014).To evaluate the structural model, R2 and path coefficients were applied.through evaluating the output t-statistics of smart-PLS with the t-table.To start, examine the link between e-service quality and e-loyalty.Then there is the direct impact of e-service quality on e-trust, as well as the influence of e-trust on e-loyalty.Figure 2 shows the consequences of testing the structural model, collectively with the t-statistic values acquired for each hypothesis.Figure 2 shows the results of the direct effect test.This graph shows that e-service quality has a substantial effect on e-loyalty (= 0.275, t= 2.250, p 0.05).E-service quality also has a positive and substantial impact on e-trust (=0.899, t=31.025p0.05).Furthermore, e-trust influences e-loyalty positively and significantly (=0.401, t=2.039, p 0.05).Based on this explanation, the direct testing hypotheses, H1, H2, and H3, can all be accepted.The findings of the indirect hypothesis testing are shown in Table 5.The indirect test or the mediating function of e-trust factors between e-service quality and e-loyalty has a positive and significant impact (= 0.360, t = 2.029, p 0.05), as shown in Table 5.It is possible to infer that Hypothesis 4 is accepted.
H4 demonstrates that there is an impact on e-service quality toward e-loyalty through e-trust as a mediator, and it's widely asserted that H4 is accepted.The e-trust variable could have a partial mediation characteristic in the relationship between e-service quality and e-loyalty.The structural model was verified with the aid of computing R2 and direction coefficients.The e-loyalty variable has a customized R-square value of 0.840 and is thought to have a strong model.In line with these records, e-service quality and e-trust factors have an effect on 84.0% of e-loyalty.The last 16% is impacted by situations outside of the observer.The gof rating is 0.755.It is possible to infer that the structural version used in this study has a high degree of predictability.Accordingly, it's possible to infer that the structural model used in this observation has extremely extraordinary predictive quality, implying that the model has an exceptional ability to provide an explanation for empirical records.
E-services quality has a considerable beneficial impact on e-loyalty.The Shopee application's e-service quality has the potential to bring significant benefits, the stronger the companies from e-service quality, will be greater the consumer's desire to utilize the service.Users who receive good service are more likely to be happy, have higher usage rates, are more likely to have repeat usage intentions, and are more likely to promote the service to others (Sofia Silviana et al., 2022;Shi et al., 2014).E-service quality is wellknown to have a considerable beneficial impact on e-trust.E-trust is a crucial judgment for customers about a site or application in delivering good service; the higher the e-service quality supplied, the higher the e-trust.The bigger the influence on e-trust, the more important e-service quality becomes as a guarantee that the firm delivers to its consumers in order to attract trust.Users' information search activity can influence their trust in e-commerce platforms, which can influence their intention to repurchase (Attar et al., 2021).
E-trust has significantly impact on e-loyalty.The stronger of user's e-trust in the Shopee application, can be incrase the user's eloyalty in the Shopee application.Perceived e-commerce for e-trust is defined as a consumer's desire to depend on trustworthy trade partners.E-loyalty is defined as a consumer's inclination to return to an e-commerce website and make a repurchase (Eid, 2017).The e-trust variable, which acts as a moderator for e-service quality and e-loyalty, explains why there is a strong positive effect.E-service quality has an indirect impact on e-loyalty, which is mediated by e-trust.Where users really pay attention to the guarantee and security of an application when they want to use the application, user trust can have a big influence on the continuity of a business (Chalirafi et al.,2021;Pham et al.,2020;Shafiee & Bazargan, 2018, Tran & Vu, 2019;and Wedhana & Tirtayani, 2021).Companies may utilize trust to better their business and help it grow, thus it is critical for the firm to keep it.

Conclusions
This study's findings suggest that e-service quality has a positive association with e-loyalty and e-trust.Loyalty can never be developed unless it is supported by high-quality items.Companies with great service quality are more inclined to trust the services they supply.This study also demonstrates that e-trust has a positive association with e-loyalty.Building confidence in the Shopee app will help the firm build customer loyalty.These findings demonstrate how e-trust may bridge the gap between e-service quality and e-loyalty.
This research contributes a theoretical contribution, where the focus is on consumer behavior research as perceived by two variables, namely e-service quality and e-trust, and the underlying theory, namely the theory acceptance model (TAM theory).Apart from being theoretical, this research is likely to have a practical impact on businesses, such as making it simpler for businesses to monitor and analyze their operations.Users may also learn about the company's preparedness to provide a website or application to serve and satisfy their needs, allowing them to make full use of the system.Aside from that, the researcher's research object is only one of several current e-commerce (Shopee), limiting the generalizability of the research conclusions.The objective is that future study will investigate the usage of e-commerce firm objects that employ more than one object for comparison.

Table 2 :
Descriptive Statistics and Correlation

Table 4 :
Reliability Analysis

Table 5 :
Indirect Hypothesis Testing