Antecedents and consequences of cross-effects: An empirical analysis of omni-coupons

Abstract

As the modern retail industry evolves from multi-channel to seamless omni-channel retailing, retailers are increasingly adopting omni-channel strategies, such as the usage of omni-coupons. A consumer may obtain an omni-coupon from a digital (catalog) channel and purchase either online or via the telephone channel. Past studies have not examined such cross-channel effects at the purchase incidence level. Using customer transaction data from an omni-channel retailer, we investigate the key drivers of cross-effects, and the impact of such cross-effects on two consumer purchase outcomes (purchase value and cross-buying). We specifically study two types of cross-effects, a) catalog-to-online and b) digital-to-telephone, and find that the effect of time variables and individual characteristics on them is asymmetric. We also show that the impact of such cross-effects on purchase outcomes depends on whether the omni-coupon was sourced digitally or from a catalog. Retailers aiming to increase cross-buying should prioritize catalog coupons, while those aiming to increase purchase value should prioritize digital coupons.