Context Of Omni-channel Retailing Research Articles

The role of value co-creation on retailer loyalty and omni-channel shopping frequency

PurposeDrawing upon the social network theory (SNT), the aim of this study is to examine the impact of value co-creation (VCC) on retailer loyalty (RL) and omni-channel shopping frequency (OCF) from the consumer perspective.Design/methodology/approachGrounded on SNT, the research focuses on VCC in omni-channel retailing. A paper-based questionnaire was used to examine the role of VCC on OCF and RL, and hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling (SEM).FindingsThe findings supported the impact of VCC on RL, and in turn, the impact of RL on OCF. However, the results of the analysis reveal that RL has no mediator role between VCC and OCF.Practical implicationsThe study shows the increasing role of VCC on RL, and the important role of RL on OCF. The findings reveal that RL has a significant role for VCC and OCF separately but does not have a mediator role between VCC and OCF. Moreover, the study extends the knowledge on VCC in omni-channel retailing.Originality/valueThe new research model, which was hypothesized from SNT, was validated. In the omni-channel retailing context, the study revealed the consumer perspective on VCC, and also the linkages between VCC, RL and OCF.

Understanding the complexities of omnichannel retailing through a service-dominant logic framework: exploring the role of digitalization in the retail ecosystem

ABSTRACT Retailing’s digital transformation continues to exert pressure on marketers to effectively design and manage consumers’ shopping experiences. A multi-method research approach was adopted to thoroughly examine the current state of consumer experiences in an omnichannel retailing context. Specifically, a bibliometric analysis of 561 omnichannel retailing articles in the Web of Science database was conducted, revealing a lack of research focused on the service-dominant logic perspective. Therefore, the proposed conceptual framework utilized a service-dominant logic perspective, emphasizing the interconnected roles of various actors in shaping consumers’ experiences and their assessments of value-in-use within complex omnichannel retailing. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research is the first comprehensive framework for understanding consumer value-in-use in omnichannel retailing, linking antecedents, consumers’ value-in-use experiences, and consequences for consumers and retailers. In summary, this paper conceptualizes how consumers perceive value co-creation within an omnichannel retail ecosystem, contributing to the development of omnichannel strategies that optimize consumers’ value-in-use across the retail landscape.

Identifying the clothing shopping attitudes and preferences of Hungarian consumers within the context of omni-channel retailing

Identifying the clothing shopping attitudes and preferences of Hungarian consumers within the context of omni-channel retailing

Understanding Omnichannel Shopping Behaviors: Incorporating Channel Integration into The Theory of Reasoned Action

Young consumers prefer to switch shopping channels freely for optimal shopping results and experiences. To meet these changing needs, retailers have begun implementing an omnichannel retail strategy that integrates their various shopping channels to create a consistent and seamless shopping environment. Thus, this study examines the effect of young consumers' perceptions of the retailer's channel consistency and seamlessness on their attitudes, intentions, and behaviors in the omnichannel retailing context. We incorporated the concept of channel consistency and seamlessness into the Theory of Reasoned Action to address the study objective. A consumer research firm was hired to recruit millennials and Gen Z consumers, and online surveys took place in the U.S. in 2019, and 430 usable surveys were analyzed with SPSS and AMOS. The results confirmed that consumers’ perception of channel seamlessness positively impacted their attitudes toward omnichannel shopping. Furthermore, these attitudes and subjective norms increased their intentions, leading to engagement in omnichannel shopping. The findings suggest that retailers must create smooth and uninterrupted shopping experiences across channels and proactively manage social components to create a customer’s omnichannel shopping experience

Predicting review helpfulness in the omnichannel retailing context: An elaboration likelihood model perspective.

As increasingly retail enterprises have adopted the omnichannel retailing strategy, both online-generated and offline-generated reviews should be considered to better understand the helpfulness of online reviews in the omnichannel retailing context. Drawing on the Elaboration Likelihood Model, the present study attempts to examine the impacts of review label volume, review content length, and review label-content relevance on review helpfulness in the omnichannel retailing context. The empirical data of 2,822 product reviews were collected from Suning.com. The results of Negative Binomial Regression showed that both central cue (review label-content relevance) and peripheral cue (review content length) positively affect review helpfulness. Specifically, the positive effect of review content length on review helpfulness will be stronger when the online review is submitted from an omnichannel retailer’s online store. On the contrary, the positive effect of review label-content relevance on review helpfulness will be weaker when the online review is generated from an omnichannel retailer’s online channel.

Exploring customer experience during channel switching in omnichannel retailing context: A qualitative assessment

Customer channel switching behaviour in the digital revolution is becoming more complicated and difficult to comprehend. This study follows the interpretative approach to examine customer intention behind channel switching behaviour and the customer experience during the channel switching journey in the omnichannel context. To explore the phenomenon, we conducted twenty-three in-depth interviews and four focus group discussions with millennial customers of electronic goods omnichannel retailers. We found two new reasons for channel switching—the influence of social groups and perceived self-efficacy of the switching behaviour. Key factors affecting channel choices during switching are product attributes, trust/perceived uncertainty, social influence, customer characteristics, review culture, and time constraints. Customers expressed mixed emotions during the journey, which affected their choices during channel switching. We further proposed a framework to explain channel switching behaviour under the social cognitive theory. The study furthered the reasons for channel switching and the customer experience during switching. To the best of our knowledge, this study is pioneering, in examining the phenomenon in the omnichannel retailing context. Based on the findings, the study provides suggestions to enhance customer experience optimisation and retention strategies for omnichannel retailers.

Micro-level practices of bricolage during business model innovation process: The case of digital transformation towards omni-channel retailing

This qualitative research adopts a strategy-as-practice perspective to explore the roles of micro-level practices during a business model (BM) innovation process. Using the context of omni-channel retailing for empirical analysis, this research demonstrates that the capabilities required to successfully design and implement a new BM for digital transformation fall within the capacity of managers from middle and lower management levels to develop practices of bricolage. This research demonstrates that business model innovation (BMI) does not only occur through organizational level test-and-learn processes but also relies on micro-level practices of bricolage from lower-level managers within the organization. A BMI is a process in which implementation (top-down) and emergence (bottom-up) are intertwined. Indeed, some micro-level practices of bricolage may be used by top management in the design of the new BM to improve implementation phases.

Effect of sales promotion on impulse buying behaviours of generation Y consumers in omni-channel retail contexts

The present study investigated how sales promotion influences the impulsive buying behaviours of generation Y consumers in Taiwan on the basis of a Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) model. Impulse buying stimuli, comprising discount promotion and loyalty program, were used in the study. Consumers’ organism can be divided into normative assessment and affective attitude. Normative assessment positively influences affective attitude, and affective attitude leads to impulse buying. This study conducted a survey on consumers who bought goods from Watsons physical store. In total, 250 valid samples were collected through judgmental sampling. The respondents’ demographics were analysed using SPSS 22, and an SEM model was tested using Amos 24. The results revealed that discount promotion had positive effects on consumers’ normative assessment and affective attitude, whereas the effects of loyalty program were nonsignificant. Affective attitude was discovered to be a robust predictor of impulse buying behaviour in the omni-channel retailing context. The findings were limited because the sample population represented only a small segment of Taiwanese Generation Y consumers. They were also limited by the interrelationship among variables suggested by the S-O-R model. In the age of omni-channel retail, discount promotion presents an effective tactic to trigger impulse buying behaviours. The impact of affective attitude is increasing. Retailers should optimise the interaction possible in omni-channels to create a seamless shopping experience that allows consumers to enjoy the purchasing process. Few studies have implemented the S-O-R model in the context of omni-channels. The present study narrowed this research gap by demonstrating the influence of the S-O-R model on impulse buying behaviours of generation Y consumers’ in omni-channel retailing.

“Ship-from-store” strategy in platform retailing

In the omnichannel retailing context, some online-first retailers open the offline channel to implement cross-channel operational strategies to improve the consumer’s experience. This paper develops an analytical model of the retailer’s offline entry and omnichannel fulfillment option (i.e., the Ship-from-Store option) under competition through the platform’s self-run store. In the omnichannel scenario, the retailer can provide time-sensitive consumers with a quick logistics service by implementing the Ship-from-Store option. We focus on the value of the Ship-from-Store option and explore the effects of this option on the pricing decisions of the retailer and platform. We also explore how consumer heterogeneities (time sensitivity and transportation costs) affect the retailer’s omnichannel operations. In addition, we identify conditions under which the retailer can benefit from the Ship-from-Store option. Some managerial insights are provided.

Consumer decision‐making in omnichannel retailing: Literature review and future research agenda

AbstractThe emergence of omnichannel retailing has revolutionized the way traditional e‐commerce business operates, subsequently bringing fundamental changes to consumer expectations and decision‐making processes. Despite the unquestionable relevance of this area of inquiry, the focal literature concerning omnichannel retailing remains sporadic and fragmented. With this in mind, the purpose of the current paper is to provide a comprehensive and concise state of the art literature review on omnichannel retailing. More specifically, we engage and draw upon the cognitive‐affective‐conative model to understand consumer behaviour within the omnichannel retailing context. The current study is built based on a review of total 131 research papers that were identified following a comprehensive search of the Web of Science database, capturing the time period between January 2011 and April 2020. This set of work was reviewed thoroughly to explore the aims, methodology and key contributions. In addition to engaging a systematic assessment and rigorous evaluation of the studies, we also extend literature by studying the relationship between omnichannel retailing and consumer decision making, with specific attention to consumer motivation, attitude and behaviour towards omnichannel retailing. Previous studies suggest consumer behaviour in omnichannel retailing to be a promising yet underexplored area with several potential avenues for future research. Among these, particularly lucrative directions include theory‐driven research, comparative cross‐cultural studies and qualitative approaches that capture rich first‐hand accounts of consumer decision‐making encounters. The current paper is timely and advantageous because it offers a holistic picture of omnichannel retailing research and provides literature‐driven evidence about a range of relevant consumer behavioural dimensions. It also integrates consumer responses using the cognitive‐affective‐conative model to advance our understanding of consumer decision‐making in the omnichannel customer journey. Recommendations for future research are provided using the Theory, Methodology and Context (TMC) framework. We conclude the paper by discussing implications for academics and practitioners.

Are privacy concerns still relevant? Revisiting consumer behaviour in omnichannel retailing

Omnichannel retailing is a new retail norm that focuses on providing a seamless interaction between retailers and consumers. Although the effect of omnichannel retailing on business is increasingly recognised, privacy concerns remain a subject of debate and a delicate issue which could potentially inhibit its growth. Grounded in the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S–O–R) model, the current study investigates consumer behaviour in omnichannel retailing and uses Psychological Reactance Theory (PRT) as the theoretical basis to examine the moderating effect of privacy concerns. A quantitative approach was adopted by means of self-administered questionnaires. 736 consumers were sampled, and the data were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings show that consumer perception of channel integration (CPCI), consumer empowerment (CE), and trust significantly affect patronage intention in omnichannel retailing. In addition, when privacy concerns are low, the effects of CPCI and CE on trust are found to be stronger. It underscores the need to synergize channel integration, retailer-consumer relationship empowerment and effective mitigation of privacy concerns in the omnichannel retailing context. Implications of the study are provided.

Understanding online review helpfulness in omnichannel retailing

PurposeAs retailers have increasingly embraced an omnichannel retailing strategy, explaining and predicting the helpfulness of online review should consider both online-based and offline-based reviews. The paper aims to discuss this issue.Design/methodology/approachBased on the signaling theory, this study intends to examine the impacts of review-related and reviewer-related signals on review helpfulness in the context of omnichannel retailing. The proposed research model and corresponding hypotheses were tested by using negative binomial regression.FindingsThe results shown that both review-related (review rating and review sentiment strength) and reviewer-related (reviewer real name and reviewer expertise) signals positively affect review helpfulness. Contrary to the authors’ expectations, review length negatively affects review helpfulness. Specifically, when the review submitted from an omnichannel retailer’s offline channel, the positive impacts of reviewer real name on review helpfulness will be stronger, and the positive impacts of reviewer expertise on review helpfulness will be weaker.Originality/valueUnlike many previous studies tend to explore the antecedents of review helpfulness in a single-channel setting, the study examined the factors that affect review helpfulness in an omnichannel retailing context.

Omnichannel retail operations with refurbished consumer returns

Online consumers being allowed to return unsatisfied products to any store prevails in the omnichannel retailing context. Retailers increasingly implement a store return option to offer consumers a seamless shopping experience. This paper develops a newsvendor model of a retailer selling its products to consumers through both online and offline channels. Consumers can return unsatisfied products to the retailer for a full refund, and the returned items can be resold as refurbished products in the circular economy era. Utilising the game theory, the retailer’s optimal ordering and pricing decisions are obtained under the benchmark scenario and omnichannel strategy. From the analytical results and numerical analysis, we examine the effects of implementing a store return option on the retailer under omnichannel retailing. The main results show that after implementing store return, (i) the optimal price of the new product remains unchanged, while the price of refurbished items may decrease in a certain condition; (ii) the optimal order quantity of the online channel increases, while that of the store decreases; (iii) in most conditions, store return strategy can achieve a win-win outcome. Specifically, consumers can enjoy more services without paying extra costs and retailer makes higher profit by implementing this strategy.

Facebook and sustainable development: a case study of a French supermarket chain

Purpose – Over the past decade climate change has become an inescapable aspect of social responsibility for the major retail chains who have sought to incorporate the environmental considerations into their communication strategies. The purpose of this paper is to look more closely at communications campaigns based on environmental theme through social networks. Design/methodology/approach – In this respect, social media can be considered a direct communication tool conducive to the promotion of sustainable development. Therefore, the paper is based on a year-long study of one group’s official Facebook page. Findings – The conclusions highlight the need for retail chains to strengthen the perceived consistency of their communication strategies on this subject, in order to retain their credibility. Practical implications – Encouraging consumers’ contributions via Facebook may be considered as a relevant practice for greening retail, on the condition that internet users are convinced of the value and interest of this process, as examples of a company’s concrete actions, which provide hard evidence of its stated commitments. The authors also point out the implications of the results in the emerging context of omni-channel retailing. Originality/value – This paper provides two kinds of added value. First its explore retailers’ practice on the subject of green marketing. Second, it provides significant learnings regarding the potential impact of communication in social media.