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This research aims to examine the integral elements of omnichannel retailing, an evolving approach that blends online and offline shopping experiences. It focuses on how various factors – merchandise variety, monetary saving, personal interaction, complaint handling, social influence, perceived crowd and skepticism – affect relative advantage, consumer satisfaction and word-of-mouth (WOM) advocacy in an omnichannel context.

A comprehensive survey was conducted with 258 participants, and the data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). This methodology provided insights into the complex relationships between different omnichannel retailing factors and their impact on customer satisfaction and WOM.

The study found that monetary saving influences both relative advantage and satisfaction. Personal interaction was observed to affect complaint handling and relative advantage. Importantly, relative advantage was found to impact both satisfaction and WOM. Additionally, the study highlighted the roles of social influence and satisfaction in enhancing WOM.

This research adds to the existing literature by providing a nuanced understanding of the dynamics of consumer engagement in omnichannel retailing. It bridges a gap in existing research by concurrently examining the impact of online and offline retail factors on consumer satisfaction and WOM in an omnichannel setting.

Transaction cost economics sees a broad spectrum of governance structures spanned by two types of economic adaptation: autonomous and cooperative. Stakeholder theorists have drawn much inspiration from transaction cost economics but have not paid explicit attention to the centrality of the idea of adaptation in this literature. This study aims to address this gap.

The authors develop a novel conceptual framework applying the distinction between the two types of economic adaptation to stakeholder theory.

The authors argue that the idea of cooperative adaptation is particularly useful for describing the firm’s collaboration with primary stakeholders in the joint value creation process. In contrast, autonomous adaptation is more relevant for firms interacting with secondary stakeholders who are not directly engaged in joint value creation and may not have formal contractual relationships with the firm. Accordingly, cooperative adaptation can be seen as vital for resolving team production problems affecting joint value creation, whereas autonomous adaptation addresses how the firm maintains legitimacy within the larger stakeholder environment.

Similar to its significance for transaction cost economics, the distinction between the two types of adaptation equips stakeholder theory with a new systematic understanding of a potentially broad spectrum of firm–stakeholder collaboration forms.

This study differentiates pure impulse buying behaviour from suggestive impulse buying behaviour in using mobile shopping applications (apps). This study aims to assess the moderating effects of instant discount and cashback promotional offers along with the mediating effects of impulse buying intention (IBI) and user satisfaction (US), using the app stimuli (performance expectancy, effort expectancy, layout, atmosphere, privacy and security).

The study was done in three stages: analysis of variance, followed by structural equation modelling (SEM) and paired t-tests.

The results showed that instant discounts and cashback offers are different from each other for the mediating variable IBI. The SEM results for pure impulse buying showed that, except for layout, the remaining variables have a positive relationship with IBI. For suggestive impulse buying, effort expectancy and layout were significantly related to both the mediating variables. Finally, pure and suggestive impulse buying behaviour showed significant differences.

Previous studies have looked into impulse buying in its generic sense and not through the “types” of impulse buying they were measuring. As impulse buying behaviour is a predominant theme for discussion today, marketing professionals and researchers must comprehend the impact of app stimuli in the context of select types of impulse buying behaviour.

This paper aims to examine why retail firms seldom achieve full integration of online and offline channels as prescribed in omni-channel literature. It examines the intermediate process of channel integration from an internal, operational perspective.

This study is composed of two parts. In the first part, the authors interviewed informants from nine firms that were engaged in channel integration. In the second part, the authors conducted case studies with three firms from the cosmetics and skincare industry against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic to find evidence to support or negate the propositions made in the first part.

The first part identified six operational challenges to channel integration. The authors categorized these challenges into two groups: inter-channel communication and inter-channel competition. Inter-channel competition carries more weight at the latter stage of integration. The authors also identified two antecedents that affect the seriousness of these challenges: heterogeneity among channels in business operation and external competitive pressure. In the second part, the authors found that both inter-channel communication and inter-channel competition were improved because of the external competitive pressure exerted by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the heterogeneity of offline channels against online channels in business operation is a double-edged sword.

The study identifies the changing effects of the challenges of channel integration and their antecedents in the midst of integration. The positive influence of a specific dimension of channel heterogeneity against other channels increases and then decreases along channel integration. The identification of the changing effects lays the foundation for a finer stage model of channel integration.

Given the growing acceptance of cashback offers (e.g. $10 PayPal cashback within 24 hours of the transaction) among retailers, this paper aims to understand how consumers evaluate them vis-à-vis traditional price-discounts and their subsequent impact on retailers’ promotional strategies.

Six experimental studies examine if and when consumers can discern differences in the time-of-reward-accrual (i.e. the waiting time associated with receiving promotional savings) of cashbacks and price-discounts. Building on evaluability theory, we propose that the time-of-reward-accrual of promotion is hard-to-evaluate. Put simply, consumers find it hard to assess the duration of waiting time associated with receiving promotions. Consequently, consumers’ perceptions of cashbacks vis-à-vis price-discounts can be influenced by whether they evaluate both promotions simultaneously [joint-evaluation (JE) mode] or independently [single-evaluation (SE) mode].

The initial four studies show that the time-of-reward-accrual of promotions is hard-to-evaluate. Cashbacks appear just as appealing as price-discounts when consumers evaluate them independently (SE-mode) but lose their appeal when consumers view them alongside price-discounts (JE-mode). The next two studies further enhance the generalizability of our findings by replicating the observed effects for different purchase types (hedonic vs utilitarian) and varying promotional benefit levels (high vs low).

By shedding light on evaluations of time-of-reward-accrual of promotion, this paper adds a new dimension to research on promotions. The paper also extends the application of evaluability theory beyond domains such as hiring, fairness judgments and product bundle assessments. The paper presents evaluation mode as a boundary condition to explain contradictory predictions from prior research for consumers’ preferences for delayed vs immediate promotions.

This paper is a response to the failure of construction firms to use sufficient attention to their working capital management (WCM) practices, resulting in operational challenges, and leading to the collapse of firms in most developing countries. Hence, this study aims to explore the empirical perspective of WCM practices among large building construction firms (LBCFs) in Ghana, to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 9.

The study collected primary data through structured survey questionnaires from LBCFs in Ghana. The CEOs/Directors, General Managers and Accountant/Finance of LBCFs in Ghana formed the unit of analysis based on a simple random sampling technique. Mean score, standard deviation and one-sample t-test were used to perform the empirical analysis of the study.

According to this study's empirical results, LBCFs appear to have effective WCM practices in place. This was evidenced in the surveyed responses which indicate that the sector’s WCM practices sound good based on the mean scores and statistically significant as the t-values > 1.664. Notably, LBCFs in Ghana pay their suppliers early to reduce the fear of adverse effect of late payments on their credit history, making them conservative in their approach toward financial management.

This is a pioneering paper in a developing country like Ghana, highlighting the significance of gaining an in-depth understanding of WCM practices among LBCFs. The findings of this study are expected to provide valuable information to industry players toward ensuring WCM efficiencies and can serve as a solid foundation for further empirical studies.

The current study aims to empirically analyze the influence of different information sources, together with the persuasiveness of recommender systems (RSs) on the consumer’s purchase intention (PI). It also expands the research on RSs from the point of view of consumer behavior and psychology, considering perceived usefulness and relevance. In addition, it analyzes how different types of personalized recommendations, along with non-personalized ones, influence PI.

The proposed model has been validated using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), based on the data collected from 597 online shoppers.

This study proves that both information search and RSs influence PI, being complementary rather than mutually exclusive. Recommender systems’ findings indicate that the PI is primarily influenced by the perceived relevance of RSs, the information provided by manufacturers and reviews. Moreover, only the influence of the perceived usefulness of personalized recommendations strongly affects PI. Conversely, non-personalized recommendations do not affect PI.

Developers should focus on increasing the perceived usefulness and relevance of RSs. Thus, they could adopt the hybridization of RSs with the aggregation of both personal shopping behavior and social network contacts. It should integrate information signals from multiple sources to include sentiment extracted from reviews or links to the manufacturer’s page. Furthermore, the recommendation of discounted products must be only for products preferred by customers, because only these influence the PI.

This research provides a structural model that examines together, for the first time, the influence on the PI of the main RSs and sources of information.

The case is written based on publicly available data from primary sources like the company’s annual reports and presentations and from secondary sources, as indicated in the references.

Barnes & Noble Inc. (B&N), one of the oldest and largest American retail booksellers founded in 1917, was facing a grim business situation underpinned by a fall in demand, a change in consumer preference and stiff competition. After almost a century of being in the business, B&N was experiencing a fall in market share and weak stock market performance. In 2019, the company was sold to Elliot Advisors – a hedge fund – for US$638m. With the appointment of new chief executive officer (CEO) James Daunt in August 2019, a man known for the turnaround of similar businesses, B&N expected its business’s revival and reorganization strategy to turn profitable. Its long-term strategy of beating competitors with its offerings’ sheer volume and low prices was no longer viable. The turmoil was compounded by top management crises with the repeated changes and ousting of several CEOs in a short span, alongside the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns in 2020 and 2021. Daunt was considering how to overcome the crisis and act fast to reposition the company and regain the loyalty of its customers. Was there more that the company could do to improve the company’s position and restore profitability?

The case can be used in strategic management and entrepreneurship classes at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The case can be used in an investment analysis and management course to teach students the industry analysis technique using Porter’s five forces model.

This paper aims to clarify the effect of discount discrepancy (DD) on consumers’ purchase intention (PI). The authors propose, test and provide evidence and explanations about the moderation of justification in the relation between consumers’ perceived DD and PI.

The authors conducted three experimental studies with a 2 × 2 factorial design, focusing on consumers’ processing of price discounts. Participants were informed that this study aimed to gather opinions on fashion, clothing and retail sales promotions. They accessed the questionnaire via Qualtrics. Each participant took part in only one study. The experimental conditions were manipulated through scenarios.

Study 1 tested and supported the moderation of justification on the effect of DD on PI. Study 2 tested and supported the moderation of the type of justification for the effect of DD on PI. Study 3 confirmed the findings in Study 2 and revealed the more effective type of justification.

The authors focused on a typically hedonic product category (fashion clothing). Further research should include a wider variety of goods and services, which could lead to different explanations or generalizations.

Sales promotions must refrain from generating DD between the initial price discount and the subsequent smaller discounts. Practitioners must evaluate the gains of an initial, more considerable percentage discount to attract consumers to the store and sell them other products versus the cost of losing sales because of DD. Management should recognize the importance of giving the correct justification for perceived DD, aligning the firm’s justification with the consumer’s motivation to buy the product.

The authors offer subsidies for effective consumer protection policies.

By studying the influence of justification on the effect of DD on PI, the authors propose a mechanism that would reduce the negative effect of DD on consumers’ PI.

This paper aims to explore consumers’ post-pandemic (COVID-19) motivations for an e-retailer preference in an emerging market like India.

This study applied qualitative methodology to explore the research question, and 44 in-depth interviews were conducted with online consumers. The interviews were transcribed and analysed using open, axial and selective coding strategies.

This study identified seven post-pandemic motivations for consumers’ e-retailer preference, and the motivations were classified into: utilitarian (remote location and fast delivery, product choice and availability, comparative price and discounts and customer service), hedonic (aesthetics of the e-retailer store) and both utilitarian and hedonic (mobile-friendliness and user interface and interactivity).

Creating knowledge post-pandemic period is essential. This study communicates empirical evidence to suggest consumers are motivated through both utilitarian and hedonic motivation for an e-retailer preference in an emerging market. Furthermore, the researchers are encouraged to collect data from more developing countries and test the proposed e-retailer preference factors.

The study offers new knowledge to online retail managers to understand how emerging market consumers prefer an e-retailer and strive to attract and retain customers in the market.

Past studies have highlighted the importance of consumer online shopping motivations and channel preferences. However, there is limited literature investigating how consumers prefer an e-retailer over other e-retailers for online shopping. This study addresses the gap in the existing retailing literature and offers fresh insights into how consumers prefer an e-retailer post-pandemic from an emerging market context.