Uses and gratifications of commercial websites in Egypt: Towards a new model

An online survey was conducted with Egyptian users who visited commercial websites. A total of 296 people responded to an Arabic survey that questioned the reasons they use commercial websites as well as what gratifications they obtain from the experience. Education level and type of job were found to be significant predictors of commercial website use. Social interaction and information gathering were found to be key predictors of how long a respondent stayed on a website. Positive attitudes about a commercial website were found to be correlated with gratifications sought from using the site as well as perceived gratifications obtained from the experience. As expected, gratifications sought were positively correlated with gratifications obtained. Amount of time spent these websites was correlated with gratifications sought and obtained.This study attempts to clarify the motives, attitudes and obtained gratifications from commercial websites, as well as the relationships among these elements. The present research has demonstrated that the intersection of uses and gratifications theory and online marketing can lead to a deeper understanding of the marketing constraints and utilities offered by interactive computer-mediated communication technology.