Omni-channel Environment Research Articles

Determinants of customer buying behaviour in omnichannel retailing: a systematic literature review and future research directions

PurposeAdvances in digital technologies and the growing number of touch points have had a significant impact on the shopping behaviour of omnichannel customers. Several research papers have explored different facets of omnichannel, but only a few have thoroughly explored the literature on showrooming and webrooming simultaneously. This paper aims to identify the key groups of antecedents influencing customer buying behaviour in omnichannel, under the influence of digital technologies, with a particular focus on showrooming and webrooming.Design/methodology/approachOur study conducted a systematic literature review to identify the factors influencing customers’ buying behaviour in omnichannel, which have been the subject of academic discussion over the last decade. We finalized 149 articles for the thematic analysis and identified three groups of antecedents: channel-related, product-related and consumer-related with their subgroups.FindingsUnder channel-related antecedents, cost and perceived benefits, search convenience, need for interaction and situational circumstances have been identified as major attributes. The expressiveness of the product, product demonstration and search and experienced products have been identified under product-related antecedents, followed by price consciousness, past experiences, perceived risks and shopping motivations as leading attributes under consumer-related antecedents. The study revealed the multifaceted influence of digital technologies on omnichannel buying behaviour. Digital technologies are shaping the antecedents related to channels, products and consumers. Digital technologies simultaneously mediate between antecedents and the selection of a specific path within an omnichannel environment. Showrooming and webrooming should no longer be seen as general concepts. The rise of digital technologies has led to the development of new consumer journey patterns and the blurring of distinctions between showrooming and webrooming. A conceptual framework has been proposed to understand consumers' omnichannel behaviour, having considered the identified antecedents and the role of digital technologies.Practical implicationsThis study advances the academic understanding of consumer behaviour in omnichannel under the influence of digital technologies and provides important implications for omnichannel management. With the advancement of digital technologies such as augmented reality and virtual reality, retailers should implement channel integration strategies to bridge the gap between online and offline channels, providing a memorable shopping experience for omnichannel customers.Originality/valueThis study is unique because it identifies and analyses the antecedents of consumer behaviour in omnichannel settings under the influence of digital technologies. It also uncovers new potential combinations of showrooming and webrooming patterns. The proposed framework can help retailers in their future planning of omnichannel strategies.

Connecting Customers and Merchants Offline: Experimental Evidence from the Commercialization of Last-mile Stations at Alibaba

Many e-commerce platforms have established extensive networks of stations as their last-mile logistics infrastructure. This study investigates how this last-mile infrastructure may serve as an offline platform to connect customers and merchants in the physical world by leveraging walk-in traffic (organic interaction) and prompting interested customers through online intervention (induced interaction). Using free sample distribution as an example, we designed two large-scale studies in collaboration with Alibaba—an observational study across 1,032 stations and a randomized field experiment among 189,019 customers—to examine the causal effects of organic and induced interactions on customers’ subsequent online purchases from the focal brands, respectively. We found that induced interaction drives significantly more online sales than organic interaction. Under induced interaction, the online intervention effectively increases the number of free samples distributed. Nevertheless, the more significant increase in online sales for induced claimers is not simply due to more free samples distributed but because the induced customers are more interested and more likely to purchase. We identified this phenomenon as a screening mechanism that facilitates an advantageous selection of customers claiming the samples. Customers willing to pay the additional travel cost to claim samples are more likely to purchase the focal brands afterward. Finally, we developed a customized targeting framework using a generalized random forest model to enhance the effectiveness of induced interaction at the last-mile stations. Our study raises a key insight that the “foot-in-the-door” traffic in an omnichannel environment can be fundamentally different depending on whether the offline customers are driven from the online channel.

The Effects of Livestreaming and Online Shopping Integration on Buyers’ Online Omnichannel Transaction Experience

ABSTRACT Purpose This study explores buyers’ online omnichannel transaction experience, focusing on integrating livestreaming commerce and online store channels. It shifts the spotlight from the predominant emphasis on online and offline channel integration to the online-only omnichannel environment. Design/methodology/approach Grounded in social cognitive theory, this study adopts a multi-method approach, integrating structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to capture individual and complex interactions among factors. Findings The study finds that internet usage significantly enhances online omnichannel experience by strengthening the positive effects of factors. While PLS-SEM results assert that channel integration quality positively impacts online omnichannel experience, fsQCA results indicate improved online omnichannel experience can be achieved in configurations where channel integration quality is absent. Research implications The study introduces a unique conceptualization of online omnichannel, revealing symmetric causal mechanisms of online omnichannel experience and improving the findings with asymmetric mechanisms, highlighting new insights, such as achieving higher experience without extensive shopping innovation or channel integration quality. Practical implications This study can guide practitioners in understanding the configuration of causal elements that enhance buyers’ omnichannel transaction experience through integrated online channels. Originality This research employs symmetric and asymmetric approaches to investigate transaction experience in an omnichannel setting, whereas the conceptualization of omnichannel emphasizes the integration of online-only channels.

RESEARCH STREAMS IN THE DOMAIN OF OMNICHANNEL IN MARKETING MANAGEMENT: BIBLIOMETRIC REVIEW

Omnichannel is viewed as a new approach to the company’s marketing activity in an integrated environment that combines online and offline channels. For now, the omnichannel environment is actively transforming. The article has outlined the extant areas of omnichannel research in marketing management to form a whole view of omnichannel. To achieve this goal, a bibliometric performance analysis provided by the SCOPUS database, scientific mapping utilizing the VOSviewer program, and exploring the most cited papers have been conducted. Based on a study of 1125 documents regarding omnichannel within the 2013–2023 period, the bibliometric field of omnichannel research has been conducted and visualized, including total documents produced, subject areas, most productive sources, most impactful authors, top relevant institution affiliations, production of papers by country, thematic clustering, and review of the most cited articles. The scientific interest in the omnichannel issue appeared in 2013, and since then it has been steadily increasing maintaining “Business, Management and Accounting” as the top position. The majority of docs were published in the USA, China, and India. There has not been identified a strong concentration of publications at any university as well as the most productive source. Six high-ranking thematic clusters have been identified, i.e. managing sales online and offline, dimension of marketing and marketing strategy, commerce, retailing, customer experience and satisfaction. The earliest topic is related to commerce, and the latest one is connected to customer satisfaction. The issues of competition in the omnichannel environment, impact of the omnichannel on retail operations, metrics for monitoring omnichannel marketing, creating a positive service experience, and logistics as an off-topic have been highlighted in the most cited articles. The obtained results allow substantiating the modern agenda of omnichannel issues and the most priority areas of its research, to determine the sources of its scientific and methodological support on the way to further development.

Research on Competition and Cooperation Strategies of Retailers Considering Return Shipping Insurance in an Omni-channel Environment

Research on Competition and Cooperation Strategies of Retailers Considering Return Shipping Insurance in an Omni-channel Environment

Тенденції та моделі розвитку електронної торгівлі в умовах цифрової економіки

At the present stage of the rapid formation of the information space, there is a need to use the instruments of the digital economy. One such instrument is e-commerce. The aim of the article is to identify current trends and models of development of e-commerce in the context of digitalization. To achieve this goal, the methods of analysis and synthesis, comparison, expert surveys, statistical analysis, structural and logical generalization were used. The article examines trends and patterns of development of the world e-commerce market. The dynamics of the main indicators of activity of Ukrainian wholesale and retail trade enterprises, which use information and communication technologies, are analyzed. It is defined that in modern economic conditions it is expedient to develop and implement a digital strategy for managing the commercial activities of trade enterprises on the basis of the conception of interaction marketing, theories of networks and stakeholders, which should contain the following elements: use of information instruments and digital channels; formation of a qualitatively new culture of marketing communications (integration of digital channels of marketing communication into a single system); ways to improve the quality of customer service; creation of an omnichannel environment based on the integration of all digital channels, retail outlets and back-office into a single information space. The key trends that will influence the development of e-commerce in the digital economy include: personalization of products and communication through information technology; adaptive approach to interaction with consumers; building a business strategy for brands, advertising and marketing strategies using digital instruments; application of an integrated approach to the management of commercial activities; creation of a fundamentally new marketing structure (the emergence of specialists in consumer preferences and data processing); acquisition of skills in collecting large databases and using them; ensuring multi-channel practice in marketing communications; implementation of chatbots as one of the most effective ways to provide instant customer support; development of business models for the organization of electronic retail.

The Personalization in Modern Retailing

In today's conditions, the retail industry is undergoing significant transformations. They are dictated by the need for the business to respond to the dynamically changing needs and expectations of the market. Personalization, which is based on the idea of a personal relationship with consumers, is not at all a new concept for business. But, in the current third decade of the 21st century, the concept of personalization has risen to a whole new level. What is new is the mechanism of its implementation in modern retailing, in an electronic and omnichannel environment. Personalization is becoming an essential component of modern marketing and retailing, a key element of business strategy and a sustainable competitive advantage. Retailers and marketers strive to create exceptional personalized brand experiences to keep consumers coming back. Omnichannel consumers expect personalization throughout their entire interaction with the retailers – across all possible touchpoints. The article examines the concept of personalization as history and present, its importance for modern retailing, the main definitions, the "4Ds" operating model, omnichannel personalization and the barriers to it, as well as the important role of the human factor in the implementation of the personalization system.

Design for engagement in digital omni-channel: From funnel to loop

In the information-loaded digital age, the modern customer interacts with businesses through a multitude of channels, including websites, social media, physical stores, mobile apps, in-person and more. As a result, customer engagement has become increasingly complex and fragmented, and the traditional linear marketing funnel approach is no longer sufficient to meet the needs of modern customers. Instead, businesses must embrace a continuous loop of engagement and interaction across channels, known as the omni-channel approach, to create seamless and personalised customer engagement. This paper explores this shift in customer engagement strategies from a linear funnel approach to a continuous loop of interaction in an omni-channel environment. It provides a platform to share insights and best practices in designing engaging and seamless customer journeys that span multiple touch points. The scope of the paper includes, but is not limited to, such topics as customer experience, omni-channel marketing, loyalty programmes, emerging technologies, user behaviour and centralised data platforms. The paper takes a multidisciplinary approach, drawing on such fields as digital marketing, design, psychology and technology, in the context of experience design strategy, to provide a comprehensive understanding of engagement design in an omni-channel context. It also addresses the challenges and opportunities presented by the emerging subscription model as a new loyalty strategy and how it fits into the loop of engagement design. The paper contributes to the development of a holistic approach to engagement design that prioritises the customer’s needs, preferences and behaviours, and recognises the importance of continuous and personalised interactions across channels. By sharing knowledge and insights, this paper can help create meaningful and long-lasting relationships with customers and achieve sustainable engagement in a rapidly changing digital ecosystem.

Omnichannel Retailing in Light of Psychological Factors: A Mediated Model.

Retail businesses have been seeing dramatic changes in the last decades. It has evolved from single-channel retailing to omnichannel retailing, providing a seamless shopping experience to customers. Customers armed with modern technology are creating challenges for retailers and forcing them to create an omnichannel environment. So, implementing an omnichannel retailing strategy is a big challenge for retail managers in the age of modern technologies. Retailers could evaluate consumers' usage intention of omnichannel retailing based on technological and psychological factors. However, research based on psychological factors is limited in the prevailing literature on omnichannel retailing. Based on the Motivational Model (MM) and Big-Five Factors (BFF) of personality traits, the study tried to fill the gap regarding the influence of psychological factors on omnichannel usage intention. A sample of 724 respondents through a structured questionnaire from a developing economy. The target population of the current study was internet users, as they might be prospective Omni shoppers in the near future. Relationships were tested through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with AMOS 23. Results revealed that personality traits directly correlate with omnichannel usage intention, while motivations (intrinsic and extrinsic) partially mediate these relationships. Moreover, the results of the current study also revealed that the personality traits extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness are vital antecedents of behavioral intention. Intrinsic and extrinsic motivations positively impact consumers' usage intention, while extrinsic motivation partially mediates intrinsic motivation and consumers' usage intention. Additionally, full mediation prevails in the association of consumers' usage intention and personality traits (emotional stability and Openness to experiences). The domino effects provide a solid theoretical milestone in understanding the phenomenon of omnichannel retailing strategy and facilitates marketing managers to design channel strategies for emerging economics.

Bilevel Programming for Manufacturers Operating in an Omnichannel Retailing Environment

In this article, we present a joint production, pricing, and inventory control problem that can help manufacturers manage revenue in an omnichannel environment. This article puts forward a multiperiod Stackelberg game between a manufacturer and a retailer, assuming the former to be the leader. The leader–follower game is formulated as a mixed-integer nonlinear bilevel optimization problem wherein both players seek to maximize their respective profits. The article envisions an omnichannel retailing environment where online, offline, direct, and drop-shipping channels coexist. It then investigates how enabling showrooming and webrooming on the drop-shipping channel account can affect the supply-chain profitabilities. The analyses suggest that when the customers are aided with showrooming and webrooming services and are allowed to place drop-shipping orders from retailers’ stores, additional profit can be generated in the supply chain. To solve the proposed bilevel optimization problem, we investigate single-level reduction using Karush–Kuhn–Tucker conditions and hierarchical optimization technique based on the simulated annealing and randomized decomposition solver. To assess the efficacy of the solution techniques, a comparative analysis is carried out. Thereafter, with the aid of numerical experiments and sensitivity analyses, this article draws the key managerial insights for manufacturers.

Customer inspiration in retailing: The role of perceived novelty and customer loyalty across offline and online channels

Inspiring customers allows retailers to increase purchase intention and customer loyalty. Customers employ multiple channels for shopping, and they can be inspired to buy products both online and offline throughout the customer journey. However, no studies have focused on the antecedents and consequences of customer inspiration in the omnichannel environment. This study was based on novelty categorization theory and affect transfer theory and employed a survey to investigate how customer inspiration develops across channels. Results showed that cross-channel effects exist between customer inspiration states and highlighted the role of channel perceived novelty and customer loyalty as, respectively, antecedents and consequences of inspiration.

Digitalization of Loyalty: Impacts of Mobile Technology on Reward Redemption and Engagement Level

ABSTRACT Although digitalization is a prevalent strategy in reward programs, a minimal amount is known regarding the relationship between reward app usage and reward redemption behaviors. The enhanced availability and accessibility of information via mobile app can alter customers’ reward-redemption patterns and engagement level, highlighting the need for firms to adjust their reward-based service strategies. Using unique datasets that reflect individual consumers’ transactional and reward redemption behaviors, we conducted a series of analyses to capture the dynamics in the latent engagement state transitions of customers according to the type of reward program used. Results show that although reward app usage, on average, induces a more active engagement state, it polarizes the volatility of engagement state transitions. Furthermore, we find that greater volatility of engagement state transitions is significantly associated with a higher likelihood of churn. Finally, a follow-up survey and panel vector autoregression analyses are conducted to uncover the mechanisms that underlie the relationship. The results provide insights into how retailers can strategically design their reward programs in the emerging mobile-based omnichannel environment.

The mediating role of perceived enjoyment and attitude consistency in omni-channel retailing

PurposeThis 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/approachConsumers 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).FindingsThe 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/valueThe 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.

Online product pricing considering product quality and return policy

With the rapid development of O2O, offline experience and online purchase have become a method of purchase for more and more customers. Through offline experience, consumers can feel the quality of products directly. Such channel switching behavior of consumers will produce a “showroom” effect and affect the return rate of online channels. This study adopts the multinomial logit model to maximize profits by considering the difference in quality between online and offline products, quality defects, and offline service. Then, a pricing decision model is developed to analyze the influence of returning goods due to quality problems on the retailers’ optimal pricing and profit. The result shows that retailers can obtain the optimal profit when the offline service is maintained at a certain level. As the return rate increases, the optimal pricing increases, but the maximum profit decreases. The optimal pricing decreases with the increase in online product quality, but the maximum profit increases accordingly. In the omni-channel environment, customers can freely switch between channels according to utility and preference when purchasing products. Based on customer returns, retailers can dynamically adjust their service, control product quality, and set optimal product pricing, thus achieving maximum profits. This study can provide a theoretical basis and decision support for omni-channel retailers in platform operation and revenue management.

Adapting the retail business model to omnichannel strategy: A supply chain management perspective

AbstractRetail firms have developed new product and service offerings to meet the changing needs of omnichannel customers. While, prior research has documented these offerings in detail, little is yet known about how retail firms can best adapt different aspects of their organizations to the new omnichannel environment. We specifically focus on the intra‐firm changes that affected the role of the firm's supply chain organization and its interactions with other business entities within the retail enterprise. This paper provides an in‐depth understanding of the new business processes, organizational structures, governance mechanisms and customer interactions; collectively described as the retail business model (BM). Drawing on the tenets of BM theory, we present findings from a qualitative study of 15 leading U.S. omnichannel retailers to identify key elements of the new retail BM, develop a conceptual framework of the BM innovation process, and highlight the pivotal role of the supply chain organization in helping firms adapt and implement the omnichannel strategy. We conclude by developing research propositions to articulate the connections among different elements of the BM innovation process and how firms can institutionalize this process to respond to the everchanging retail business environment.

Research on the Game Relationship and Behavior Optimization between Banks and Customers in the Omni-Channel Environment

In an omni-channel environment of banks, the information transmission between banks and customers is the basis for decision-making on both sides. This dissertation analyzes the characteristics of signals sent between banks and customers at different stages and proposes a game model of bank–customer signals in an omni-channel environment. The model explores the types of banks and customers and the influence of six signals on both parties’ action decisions. Building on this model, a genetic algorithm of the signaling game between banks and customers is developed. This algorithm improves the adaptability of customers to the bank’s omni-channel environment through the “selection–crossover–mutation” process. The algorithm determines the signal that brings the greatest utility among multiple bank–customer combinations. This is carried out by calculating the choices made, resulting in the greatest total utility. Finally, a case study is carried out on the omni-channel transformation of Agricultural Bank of China, illustrating the validity of the research results of the game relationship and action optimization. Overall, this study provides a quantitative tool for the action decision-making of banks and customers and the optimization of the relationship between the two. It also provides a reference for how banks should manage customer relationships in an omni-channel environment.

Device‐mediated customer behaviour on the internet: A systematic literature review

AbstractThe proliferation of smartphones, tablets and other digital devices in addition to traditional computers has transformed the Internet into a device‐mediated environment. While these devices provide immediate access to similar Internet sources, they differ significantly in their characteristics, such as screen size, operation mode and context of use. As a consequence, behaviours on the Internet along the customer journey vary substantially depending on the device used. To summarize the fast‐growing body of research on device‐mediated customer behaviour, a systematic, framework‐based literature review of 59 articles from the last decade was conducted. Through an examination of the antecedents, decisions and outcomes investigated in the publications, the review presents a conceptual framework that highlights the relation between device characteristics, decision processes and behavioural outcomes. The review further summarizes the theories, contexts and methods employed in the studies and sets an extensive future research agenda. We found that the extant literature lacks comprehensive theories and clear definitions of digital devices in the omnichannel environment. Furthermore, existing findings should be generalized for other contexts (e.g. industries and countries) and validated via the introduction of other research designs and methods. The understanding of device‐mediated behaviour and the consequently arising marketing measures remains scarce. Thus, this review advances the comprehension of customer behaviour on the Internet and provides researchers and practitioners with information on the implications for customer experience and omnichannel management.

Supply Chain Relationships in Omnichannel Retailing

The omnichannel supply chain changes the relationship between vertical and horizontal market agents. The author advocates the thesis that the cooperation between the participants in the supply chain and the cross-functional integration inside the company are key factors for the success of the commercial business in the conditions of digitalization. The aim of the study is to analyze the impact of retail transformations on supply chain relationships in an omnichannel environment. The object of research is the transformation of business models in retail trade through integration and convergence of marketing and logistics operations, symbiosis between online and offline sales and creation of omnichannel models.

Factors affecting consumers' purchase intention for agriculture products omni-channel.

Agricultural retailers face serious challenge of losing consumers due to channel integration, it has become essential to provide an expected consistent and seamless omni-channel shopping experience in an omni-channel environment. Although previous literature has begun to focus on the consumer perspective of the omni-channel experience, little attention has been paid to the process of change from a single retail environment to omni-channel. By combining the research frameworks of unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) and the value-based adoption model (VAM), this study aims to identify the drivers of omni-channel consumer purchase intention in agriculture products retail. This article conducts a questionnaire survey on 620 samples in China. The results show that single-channel shopping cost, reference groups, positive online reviews, and single-channel perceived risk have a significant positive impact on the omni-channel purchase intention of agricultural products, and perceived value plays a mediating role. Moreover, contextual factors partially have a negative moderating effect. When consumers purchase agricultural products, the more suitable the online shopping environment is, the weaker the influence of single-channel shopping costs, reference groups and positive online reviews on consumers' omni-channel purchase intention. These findings build on the existing literature on the omni-channel retail consumer experience and provide insights for fresh produce retailers to implement and evaluate an omni-channel integration strategy for agriculture products. The findings may shed lights on how to promote the healthy development of the omni-channel sales model of agricultural products.

Digitalization in omnichannel healthcare supply chain businesses: The role of smart wearable devices

The advancement in technology has fostered the prevalence of the Internet of Things (IoT), which enhances healthcare business quality, offers a seamless customer experience, and maximizes turnovers and profits. Consequently, omnichannel services have emerged by integrating online and offline channels and providing customers with more real-time information and services to increase their engagement. Healthcare wearable devices appear as a salient tool to connect healthcare providers and patients and thus become an essential part of the omnichannel environment. Along with this trend, the ethical concerns while using these devices have increasingly intensified and are significant barriers to market expansion. Nevertheless, there is a lack of studies discussing the role of wearables in omnichannel hospital supply chain management and examining the influence of those above concerns on healthcare wearables adoption. Therefore, this study explores these gaps through an integrated approach. Furthermore, we proposed a framework integrating the traditional statistical and machine learning-based approach to analyze a large amount of data; and thereby facilitate a data-driven analytic model to manage omnichannel healthcare supply chain businesses.