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1 – 10 of over 1000Francesca De Canio, Maria Fuentes-Blasco and Elisa Martinelli
The pandemic impacted consumers' shopping processes, leading them to approach the online channel for grocery shopping for the first time. The paper contributes to the retailing…
Abstract
Purpose
The pandemic impacted consumers' shopping processes, leading them to approach the online channel for grocery shopping for the first time. The paper contributes to the retailing literature by identifying different grocery shopper segments willing to switch online moved by heterogeneous motivations. Integrating the technology acceptance model 2 (TAM-2) and the protection motivation theory (PMT), this study identifies technology-related and Covid-related motivations jointly impacting channel switching.
Design/methodology/approach
A mixture regression model was estimated on the 370 valid questionnaires, filled out by Italian shoppers, delivering four internally consistent segments.
Findings
The results reveal the existence of four segments willing to switch towards the online channel for grocery shopping in the aftermath of the pandemic. Utilitarian shoppers would switch online as they consider the online channel useful and easy to use. Responsive shoppers will prefer the online channel driven by the fear of being infected in-store. Novel enthusiasts show interest in the online channel to not catch the virus and cope with emotional fear, although they consider online shopping as an enjoyable and useful activity as well. Smart shoppers consider online shopping as an easy-to-use alternative for their grocery purchases.
Originality/value
This paper identifies technology-related and Covid-related motivations jointly impacting shoppers' channel switching to online and presents a novel method – i.e. mixture regression – allowing for the identification of shopper segments motivated by different reasons, both emotional and utilitarian, to switch towards the online channel for their grocery shopping. Among other motivations, the fear of Covid-19 is identified as a relevant motivation to switch to online.
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Hyo-Jeong Kim and Sang Man Han
This study aims to understand why consumers continue to visit physical stores despite the rise in mobile shopping and online channels. Mobile shopping has changed how consumers…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to understand why consumers continue to visit physical stores despite the rise in mobile shopping and online channels. Mobile shopping has changed how consumers shop, allowing them to easily switch between channels. However, physical stores continue to remain significant because some consumers still prefer them, challenging the belief that online markets always surpass offline markets. To serve their needs effectively, retailers must understand the motivations and behaviors of shoppers in both channels. Therefore, this study aims to explore why people cross the online channel to offline by examining their dissatisfaction with online shopping, using E-SERVQUAL variables.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses a two-method approach that involves in-depth interviews to develop questions related to E-SERVQUAL variables and a survey to assess respondents’ likelihood of switching from online to offline. Data was collected from 203 participants.
Findings
The results indicate that dissatisfaction with the timeliness and condition of online shopping services is a significant factor driving consumers to switch to physical stores. This challenges the notion that online markets always surpass offline markets, emphasizing the continued significance of physical stores in the retail landscape.
Originality/value
This study recognizes the importance and relevance of physical stores in the retail environment while challenging the assumption that online markets always outperform brick-and-mortar markets. In terms of dissatisfaction and satisfaction, it is possible to identify under what circumstances dissatisfied consumers go from online to offline by considering the distribution channel migration phenomenon.
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Jianming Wang, Tan Vo-Thanh, Yi-Hung Liu, Thac Dang-Van and Ninh Nguyen
On the basis of the approach-avoidance motivation theory, this study aims to examine the role of information confusion in influencing consumer switching intention among social…
Abstract
Purpose
On the basis of the approach-avoidance motivation theory, this study aims to examine the role of information confusion in influencing consumer switching intention among social commerce platforms, with the mediating effect of emotional exhaustion and the moderating role of social overload.
Design/methodology/approach
This study applied a multi-method quantitative approach including a survey and two experiments. Data were obtained from consumers on popular social commerce platforms in China. The survey's sample size was 327 respondents, whereas a total of 1,621 consumers participated in the two experiments.
Findings
Findings from the survey reveal that information confusion affects switching intention directly and indirectly via emotional exhaustion. Moreover, social overload moderates the emotional exhaustion–switching intention relationship and the indirect impact of information confusion on switching intention. Results of the two experiments further confirm the relationships found in the survey.
Originality/value
This study develops and validates a mediation and moderation model which expectedly serves as a framework to better explain consumer switching intention on social commerce platforms. The study also offers fresh insights into consumer switching intention in the unique context of social commerce in an emerging market (i.e. China), which has been largely ignored in the prior literature.
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Mengjia Gao and Lin Huang
This study considers perceived enjoyment and attitude consistency as internal states of consumers in an omni-channel environment. This study aims to investigate the mediating role…
Abstract
Purpose
This study considers perceived enjoyment and attitude consistency as internal states of consumers in an omni-channel environment. This study aims to investigate the mediating role of perceived enjoyment and attitude consistency to reveal how omni-channel environment factors of interaction fluency, convenience, price advantage and personalization contribute to omni-channel shopping intention.
Design/methodology/approach
Consumers who had shopped at Uniqlo's online and offline stores were surveyed through an online questionnaire, and 566 data were collected for analysis through partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).
Findings
The results find that interaction fluency, price advantage and personalization positively affect perceived enjoyment, interaction fluency and convenience positively affect attitude consistency and perceived enjoyment and attitude consistency in turn facilitate omni-channel shopping intention. The mediating role of perceived enjoyment and attitude consistency was confirmed.
Originality/value
The original finding of this study is that factors such as interaction fluency, convenience, price advantage and personalization in omni-channel retailing require momentary and continuous affective states of consumers to facilitate omni-channel shopping intention, respectively. Therefore, this study considers the necessity of capturing different affective states of consumers in omni-channel shopping.
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Birgit Schenk, Mateusz Dolata, Christiane Schwabe and Gerhard Schwabe
By increasing the digitalization of commercial services citizens' expect more from public services. First of all, this study will strive to identify which problems citizens…
Abstract
Purpose
By increasing the digitalization of commercial services citizens' expect more from public services. First of all, this study will strive to identify which problems citizens encounter when they use a complex public service: preparation of an application for a building permit. In the light of the popularity of omnichannel approaches, the study then explores how omni-channel could help to address the problems which have been identified.
Design/methodology/approach
We implement the first phases of an action design science research project. We collect data both from citizens and public agencies and frame them as transparency problems. These abstract problems are then addressed by an omnichannel service provision as an abstract solution. The abstract solution is then instantiated in a design in the form of a user scenario developed in collaboration with current and future public officials.
Findings
The analysis uncovers multiple transparency issues: it distinguishes between process, case, language, cross-channel and cost transparency. One root cause of the transparency issues observed is the lack of service transparency which defines the purpose and scope of a ser-vice. We therefore recommend defining a service-strategy before informational and technical aspects of an omnichannel approach can be implemented. Following this strategy, omnichannel offers public administrations unique opportunities to excel in citizens' service provision.
Originality/value
The study provides insights into how citizens view complex public services. For researchers, this study offers the conceptualization as transparency issues. Practitioners from the public administrations can also benefit from the concept and vision of omnichannel public services.
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Neha Sharma and Nirankush Dutta
This study explores the present state of research related to omnichannel retail, investigates retail's different sub-areas and suggests future research directions.
Abstract
Purpose
This study explores the present state of research related to omnichannel retail, investigates retail's different sub-areas and suggests future research directions.
Design/methodology/approach
The subdomains of omnichannel retail have been identified using a keyword co-occurrence network (KCN) map and content analysis. The 5W1H method assisted in finding the bibliographies of 258 SCOPUS-indexed and ABDC-ranked journal articles and showcasing the omnichannel retail landscape.
Findings
Most research on omnichannel retail is concentrated on five subdomains: customer behaviour, channel integration, technological innovation, supply chain and operations and strategy. The study's conceptual framework illustrates the omnichannel retailing environment and the variables that must be considered whilst establishing an omnichannel strategic vision. Besides, future researchers have been urged to concentrate on interdisciplinary research, as a seamless experience is unachievable if focussed on a single subdomain.
Research limitations/implications
There is a slight probability of missing out on some good articles as this study considered only those articles that have been published in SCOPUS and ranked by the ABDC quality list.
Practical implications
This study emphasises that for businesses to capitalise on the omnichannel model, the businesses must undergo a transformation involving technology convergence, customer-centricity and internal process reorganisation that integrates consumer feedback to co-create value. When a business adopts an omnichannel model, the business's priorities shift. Rather than depending solely on technology, faster delivery and channel integration, an omnichannel strategy requires strong leadership, a clear vision, training for all stakeholders and an understanding of customer pain points to reach the full potential.
Originality/value
The illustration of the omnichannel retail landscape using the 5W1H methodology and antecedents-decisions-outcomes (ADO) framework.
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ZiQiang Wu, Eugene Cheng-Xi Aw and Stephanie Hui-Wen Chuah
Webrooming (i.e. searching information online and making the final purchase in a physical store) has become a popular shopping practice, but remains insufficiently studied. To…
Abstract
Purpose
Webrooming (i.e. searching information online and making the final purchase in a physical store) has become a popular shopping practice, but remains insufficiently studied. To address this, a research framework encompassing online and offline channel attributes (i.e. online review diagnosticity, online search convenience, expected price loss, offline purchase effort and offline after-sales service convenience), consumer traits (i.e. anticipated regret) and shopping experience (i.e. smart-shopping perception) as determinants of webrooming continuance intention is proposed.
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed model was validated by conducting a questionnaire-based survey that yielded 354 useable responses. The data was subjected to partial least squares structural equation modelling and importance-performance map analysis.
Findings
According to the obtained results, online review diagnosticity, offline after-sales service convenience and anticipated regret are the vital antecedents of webrooming continuance intention, while smart-shopping perception acts as the mediator.
Originality/value
The current study adds significantly to the body of knowledge about webrooming by validating the inter-relationships between online review diagnosticity, after-sales service convenience, anticipated regret, smart-shopping perception and webrooming continuance intention.
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Lei Hou, Lu Guan, Yixin Zhou, Anqi Shen, Wei Wang, Ang Luo, Heng Lu and Jonathan J.H. Zhu
User-generated content (UGC) refers to semantic and behavioral traces created by users on various social media platforms. While several waves of platforms have come and gone, the…
Abstract
Purpose
User-generated content (UGC) refers to semantic and behavioral traces created by users on various social media platforms. While several waves of platforms have come and gone, the long-term sustainability of UGC activities has become a critical question that bears significance for theoretical understanding and social media practices.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on a large and lengthy dataset of both blogging and microblogging activities of the same set of users, a multistate survival analysis was applied to explore the patterns of users' staying, switching and multiplatforming behaviors, as well as the underlying driving factors.
Findings
UGC activities are generally unsustainable in the long run, and natural attrition is the primary reason, rather than competitive switching to new platforms. The availability of leisure time, expected gratification and previous experiences drive users' sustainability.
Originality/value
The authors adopted actual behavioral data from two generations of platforms instead of survey data on users' switching intentions. Four types of users are defined: loyal, switcher, multiplatformer and dropout. As measured by the transitions among the four states, the different sustainability behaviors are thereby studied via an integrated framework. These two originalities bridge gaps in the literature and offer new insights into exploring user sustainability in social media.
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Rajendra Kumar Gopi, Rambabu Lavuri and K Francis Sudhakar
The purpose of the study is to explore the role of affective commitment (AC) consumer empowerment on webrooming behaviour (WB) in a multichannel context of the fashion industry…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the study is to explore the role of affective commitment (AC) consumer empowerment on webrooming behaviour (WB) in a multichannel context of the fashion industry, with mediating (attitude [ATT]) and moderating (product involvement [PT]) effect. We used the stimulus– organism–responses theory as a theoretical underpinning.
Design/methodology/approach
We collected 307 responses from fashionable consumer who was purposed fashion products recently through convenience sampling approach and analysed the data with structural equation modelling and PROCESS macro.
Findings
The results illustrated that AC and consumer empowerment had a significant impact on consumer attitude and their WB. Likewise, consumer attitude had a positive mediating association between AC, consumer empowerment and WB. PI significantly moderated the relationship between ACs, consumer empowerment with attitude and attitude with WB.
Originality/value
This study is one of the new research works of its kind, which examines the role of AC and consumer empowerment on WB in the fashion industry. This study contributes to the growing amount of literature on fashion marketing by analysing the rapidly growing phenomena of WB in a multichannel context of the fashion industry.
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Neha Sharma, Amit Sharma, Nirankush Dutta and Pankaj Priya
This article undertakes a literature review on showrooming, offering an exhaustive overview of research publications and future research objectives that will contribute to…
Abstract
Purpose
This article undertakes a literature review on showrooming, offering an exhaustive overview of research publications and future research objectives that will contribute to extending the understanding of the phenomenon.
Design/methodology/approach
The showrooming literature has been collected from journals indexed by SCOPUS and ranked by ABDC. This was later analysed with the SPAR-4-SLR framework and the TCCM methodology (theories, contexts, characteristics, and methodologies) proposed by Paul et al. (2021) and Paul and Rosado-Serrano (2019).
Findings
The insights of this review include bibliometrics of showrooming research and the number of explored showrooming theories, methodologies, and contexts from which the phenomenon has been studied. It also highlights the various aspects that might be considered while building an optimal approach.
Research limitations/implications
Articles published in SCOPUS-indexed and ABDC-ranked journals between 2012 and August 2022 were considered. Some articles published in conference proceedings and journals, not fulfilling the aforementioned criteria, might have been missed.
Practical implications
SPAR-4-SLR and TCCM methodologies would aid the researchers in further exploration of this phenomenon and suggest options for enhancing customer experience (CX) eventually leading to customer retention. Retail channel managers will find this knowledge handy in “encouraging loyal showrooming” and ensuring business sustainability.
Originality/value
This study uses the novel SPAR-4-SLR framework to structure the review, while TCCM methodology sheds light on the showrooming from the perspective of various theories, contexts, characteristics, and methodologies. The scope for further research identified through the above-mentioned framework and methodology would be of high value to the researchers and practitioners alike.
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