The interactions between e-shopping and store shopping in the shopping process for search goods and experience goods

Abstract

When exploring the interactions between e-shopping and store-shopping, most empirical studies regarded shopping as a transaction, but did not consider internet use in other stages of the shopping process, which has transportation implications. Few studies have conducted comparative analyses between different types of products. Using 952 internet users in two cities in Northern California, this study explores the interactions in the shopping process for two types of products: search goods and experience goods. We find that for internet buyers, clothing is more likely than books to be associated with store visiting for both information search and product trial. Online pre-purchase behaviors were more likely to facilitate cross-channel shopping than those at a store. A comparison with an earlier study shows more similarities than differences between the two studies, suggesting a certain amount of spatio-temporal generalizability of relationships.