International Journal of Human Research and Social Science Studies

With the rapid expansion of cross‑border e‑commerce driven by economic globalization, understanding how service strategies influence consumer experience has become increasingly important. Existing research has largely focused on marketing, technology, and logistics, while overlooking the role of e‑commerce politeness in shaping service perceptions. Furniture, as a category prone to damage and requiring installation guidance, provides a highly interaction‑dependent context for examining service encounters. This study investigates consumers who purchased furniture on the Temu platform and employs the Critical Incident Technique to explore their expectations and evaluations in uncertain online transactions. The findings show that product quality and perceived value for money are the main drivers of satisfaction, whereas packaging protection and fulfillment of service promises are the primary sources of dissatisfaction. Notably, packaging protection and product quality appear in both positive and negative incidents, underscoring their central role in consumers’ perceptions of e‑commerce politeness. The study identifies key factors shaping cross‑border furniture consumption experiences and clarifies their mechanisms of influence. It further offers targeted recommendations for e‑commerce platforms, merchants, logistics providers, and consumers to enhance service experiences through improved adherence to e‑commerce politeness.

E-Commerce Politeness, Critical Incident Technique, Cross-border E-commerce, Customer Satisfaction, Temu, Furniture Category

1. Liu, A., Osewe, M., Shi, Y., Zhen, X., & Wu, Y. (2022). Cross-border e-commerce development and challenges in China: A systematic literature review. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, 17(1), 69-88. https://doi.org/10.3390/jtaer17010004
2. Li, X. J. (2025). On the challenges and countermeasures of cultural and institutional differences in cross-border e-commerce. E-Commerce Review, 14(10), 1723-1730. https://doi.org/10.12677/ecl.2025.14103324
3. Lim, N. (2003). Consumers’ perceived risk: sources versus consequences. Electronic Commerce Research and Applications, 2(3), 216-228. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1567-4223(03)00025-5
4. Yuan, Y. (2023). Cross-Border E-Commerce Logistics Service Challenges and Development. Frontiers in Business, Economics and Management, 8(1), 262-265. https://doi.org/10.54097/fbem.v8i1.6225
5. Kim, T. Y., Dekker, R., & Heij, C. (2017). Cross-border electronic commerce: Distance effects and express delivery in European Union markets. Journal of International Technology and Information Management, 26(2), 184-218. https://doi.org/10.1080/10864415.2016.1234283
6. Chen, I.-C., & Huang, J. (2025). Research on the service quality of e-commerce platforms-from the perspective of politeness framework. International Journal of Management Research and Green Entrepreneurship, 6(1), 286-291. https://doi.org/10.54660/.IJMRGE.2025.6.1.286-291
7. Lin, Q. (2025). Analysis of cross-border e-commerce live streaming marketing strategies based on the "people-commodity-scene" theory: A case study of TikTok US. Journal of Social Enterprise Economy, 2(5), 285-287. https://doi.org/10.69979/3029-2700.25.05.088
8. Jiang, M. L. (2025). Innovative development path of cross-border e-commerce driven by AI technology. Frontier of Economics Research, 8(2), 4-6. https://doi.org/10.12238/ej.v8i2.2313
9. Xu, C. Q. (2024). Research on optimization strategies for cross-border e-commerce logistics systems. Creative Economy, 8(3), 42-48. https://doi.org/10.12184/wspeyjjWSP2516-414706.20240803
10. Whitworth, B., & Liu, T. (2008). Politeness as a social computing requirement. In R. Luppicini (Ed.), Handbook of conversation design for instructional applications (pp. 419–436). Hershey, PA: IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-87828-991-9.ch176
11. Yaghubyan, M. (2019). The Use of Positive and Negative Politeness Strategies to Express Request in English and Armenian Cultures. Armenian Folia Anglistika, 15(1), 141-150.https://doi.org/10.46991/afa/2019.15.1.141
12. Noorani, A. (2024). The role of politeness strategies in enhancing guest satisfaction in the hospitality industry.Journal of Policy Research, 10(2), 66-74.https://doi.org/10.61506/02.00208
13. Aichhorn, N., & Puck, J. (2017). “I just don’t feel comfortable speaking English”: Foreign language anxiety as a catalyst for spoken-language barriers in MNCs. International Business Review, 26(4), 749-763. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibusrev.2017.01.004
14. Tenzer, H., Pudelko, M., & Harzing, A.-W. (2014). The impact of language barriers on trust formation in multinational teams. Journal of International Business Studies, 45(5), 508-535.https://doi.org/10.1057/jibs.2013.62
15. Oktariani, T. O., Wisnalmawati, W., & Darpito, S. H. (2022). The Effect of E-Service Quality, Website Design, E-Trust, and Perceived Risk on E-Satisfaction. Jurnal Ilmiah Manajemen Kesatuan, 10(1), 51-62.https://doi.org/10.37641/jimkes.v10i1.1203
16. Zhang, M., Huang, L., He, Z., & Wang, A. G. (2014). E-service quality perceptions: an empirical analysis of the Chinese e-retailing industry.Total Quality Management & Business Excellence,25(9-10), 1090-1106.https://doi.org/10.1080/14783363.2014.933555
17. Le, M. T. H., Nguyen, K. M., Nguyen, N. T., Vo, N. H., Tran, K. T., & Dao, D. T. (2024). Enhancing the customer experience AI-chatbot: service quality, emotional intelligence, and personalisation. International Journal of Trade and Global Markets, 17(2), 203-222. https://doi.org/10.1504/ijtgm.2024.137744
18. Gajewska, T., Zimon, D., Kaczor, G., & Madzík, P. (2020). The impact of the level of customer satisfaction on the quality of e-commerce services. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 69(4), 666-684. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPPM-01-2019-0018
19. Gefen, D. (2000). E-commerce: The role of familiarity and trust. Omega, 28(6), 725-737. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0305-0483(00)00021-9
20. Pavlou, P. A. (2003). Consumer acceptance of electronic commerce: Integrating trust and risk with the technology acceptance model. International Journal of Electronic Commerce, 7(3), 101-134. https://doi.org/10.1080/10864415.2003.11044275
21. Yen, Y.-S. (2015). Managing perceived risk for customer retention in e-commerce. Information and Computer Security, 23(3), 336-350. https://doi.org/10.1108/ics-12-2013-0088
22. Likhitha, M. (2022). Customer satisfaction: An insight towards e-commerce. International Journal for Research in Applied Science and Engineering Technology, 10(9), 782-788. https://doi.org/10.22214/ijraset.2022.46711
23. Mamakou, X. J., Zaharias, P., & Milesi, M. (2024). Measuring customer satisfaction in electronic commerce: the impact of e-service quality and user experience. International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, 41(3), 915-943.https://doi.org/10.1108/IJQRM-07-2021-0215
24. Flanagan, J. C. (1954). The critical incident technique. Psychological Bulletin, 51(4), 327-358. https://doi.org/10. /h0061470
25. Schluter, J., Seaton, P., & Chaboyer, W. (2008). Critical incident technique: A user’s guide for nurse researchers. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 61(1), 107-114. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2007.04490.x
26. Yeoman, A., Cooper, J., Armstrong, C., Fenton, R., Lonsdale, R., Spink, S., Urquhart, C., Thomas, R., Barker, A., & Light, A. (2003). Critical incident technique and explicitation interviewing in studies of information behavior. Library and Information Science Research, 25(1), 63-88. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0740-8188(02)00166-4
27. Hofmeister, E. H., Reed, R. A., Barletta, M., Shepard, M., & Quandt, J. (2018). Critical incident technique analysis applied to perianesthetic cardiac arrests at a university teaching hospital. Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia, 45(3), 345-350. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaa.2018.01.001
28. Douglas, J. A., McClelland, R., Davies, J., & Sudbury, L. (2009). Using critical incident technique (CIT) to capture the voice of the student. The TQM Journal,21(4), 305-318. https://doi.org/10.1108/17542730910965038
29. Brunton, M. A., & Jeffrey, L. M. (2010). Using the critical incident technique for triangulation and elaboration of communication management competencies. Journal of Vocational Education & Training,62(3), 239-255. https://doi.org/10.1080/13636820.2010.499475
30. Griffiths, J. R., Johnson, F., & Hartley, R. J. (2007). User satisfaction as a measure of system performance. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 39(3), 142-152. https://doi.org/10.1177/0961000607080417
31. Holsti, O. R. (1969). Content analysis for the social sciences and humanities. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
32. Latham, G. P., & Saari, L. M. (1984). Do people do what they say? Further studies on the situational interview. Journal of Applied Psychology, 69(4), 569-573. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.69.4.569
33. Smith, R. A., & Houston, M. J. (1985). A psychometric assessment of measures of scripts in consumer memory. Journal of Consumer Research, 12(2), 214-224. https://doi.org/10.1086/208510
34. Andersson, B. E., & Nilsson, S. G. (1964). Studies in the reliability and validity of the Critical Incident Technique. Journal of Applied Psychology, 48(6), 398-403. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0042025
35. Haynes, S. N., Richard, D. C. S., & Kubany, E. S. (1995). Content validity in psychological assessment: A functional approach to concepts and methods. Psychological Assessment, 7(3), 238-247. https://doi.org/10.1037/1040-3590.7.3.238
36. Nevo, B. (1985). Face validity revisited. Journal of Educational Measurement, 22(4), 287-293. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-3984.1985.tb01065