How pop-ups drive online sales: moderating effects of online promotions
ISSN: 0309-0566
Article publication date: 1 May 2023
Issue publication date: 27 June 2023
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine how the effect of pop-ups on an omnichannel brand’s subsequent online sales is moderated by the brand’s online price and premium promotions, paid search and popularity signaling.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a difference-in-differences approach, this study appraises variations in two similar Chinese apparel brands’ online sales before and after one of the brands’ implementations of its pop-ups and how the brand’s online promotions modify the pop-ups’ effect.
Findings
Unique, interactive pop-ups boost brands’ subsequent online sales. Online price promotions negatively moderate the effect; online premium promotions and paid search positively moderate it. Moreover, the product’s popularity diminishes the extent to which a pop-up stimulates online demand. These findings can be partially generalized to other categories, such as utilitarian products.
Practical implications
Only certain online strategies enhance the effect of pop-ups on brands’ online sales, so practitioners should strategically select appropriate promotion combinations when they operate pop-ups and allocate resources across channels. In addition, the moderating influence of online promotions on pop-ups depends on the type of product being promoted.
Originality/value
Pop-ups offer proven abilities to deliver sensory experiences to online shoppers, reinforce brand awareness and loyalty and boost online sales. This study extends prior research by examining how various online promotions moderate pop-ups’ effects.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The first two authors contribute equally to this study.
The authors acknowledge with the deepest gratitude to the European Journal of Marketing area editor, regional editor and the two anonymous reviewers, for their valuable comments and insights in the completion of this research.
Funding. The authors acknowledge the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 71972035, 71832001) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities.
Declaration of conflicting interests: none.
Citation
Liu, Y., Zheng, H., Yang, S. and Wang, J. (2023), "How pop-ups drive online sales: moderating effects of online promotions", European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 57 No. 8, pp. 2112-2141. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-09-2021-0687
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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