Influences of Platform-Based After-Sales Logistics Service Quality on Perceived Value and Continuance Intention in China's Cross-Border E-Commerce for Imported Cosmetics

This study examines how platform-based after-sales service quality influences consumers’ perceived value and continuance intention when purchasing imported cosmetics on Chinese e-commerce platforms. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with Chinese consumers who had purchased imported cosmetics via major platforms and used platform-provided after-sales services within the past year. Measurement items adapted from previous studies were evaluated through confirmatory factor analysis, and the structural relationships among the key variables were tested using structural equation modeling and multi-group comparisons based on information usefulness and information enjoyment. The results show that after-sales service quality, conceptualized as comprising reliability and service interaction (responsiveness and empathy), significantly enhances perceived value, and perceived value in turn increases consumers’ continuance intention to keep using the platforms for purchasing imported cosmetics. Multi-group analysis further indicates that the positive effect of perceived value on continuance intention is stronger among consumers who perceive the information provided by the platform as more useful and enjoyable. Overall, the findings suggest that reliable and empathetic after-sales processes elevate consumers’ perceived value and foster continuance usage, while high-quality information further strengthens the link between perceived value and continuance intention, thereby extending value- and continuance-based explanations to cross-border commerce for imported cosmetics and offering practical guidance for platforms seeking to design trustworthy after-sales service systems and richer information environments.