Determinants of E-commerce Customer Satisfaction: The Influence of Delivery Timeliness and Order Accuracy with Trust Mediation in Santiago, Chile

Abstract

This study aimed to determine how delivery timeliness and order accuracy influenced customer satisfaction among e-commerce users in Santiago, Chile, while assessing the mediating role of customer trust. A quantitative, explanatory, non-experimental, cross-sectional design was employed. Data were gathered through an online self-administered survey using a five-point Likert scale and analyzed via partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) with a final sample of 214 respondents. The measurement model exhibited adequate reliability and validity. In the structural model, delivery timeliness showed a positive and statistically significant direct effect on customer satisfaction (B = 0.131; p = 0.045), whereas order accuracy did not present a significant direct effect (B = 0.093; p = 0.073). Nevertheless, both predictors increased satisfaction through customer trust, with strong and highly significant indirect effects (timeliness: 0.266; p < 0.001; accuracy: 0.383; p < 0.001). These results supported partial mediation for timeliness and essentially full mediation for accuracy, indicating that trust was the predominant explanatory mechanism linking logistical fulfillment to satisfaction. The findings suggested that improving operational metrics alone was insufficient unless they consistently signaled reliability to strengthen trust. Practical recommendations included combining punctuality and accuracy controls with trust-building practices such as transparent tracking, proactive communication, and robust service recovery protocols, as well as encouraging future longitudinal research with broader geographic coverage.