Perceived congruence and online loyalty as segmentation variables in multichannel retailing: a comparison between appparel and electronics

As the interest of the literature on congruity between offline and online stores is relatively recent, empirical evidence is required to help marketing managers choose the most effective ways of contributing to the formation of consistent offerings as well as their contribution to generate customer loyalty. This study examines whether congruity can help to identify segments of heterogeneous consumers that differ significantly regarding these variables as well as other constructs related to the customer relationship with the retailer. The study attempts to identify which congruity attribute(s) are most relevant for differentiating customers by their loyalty towards the online store, so that retailers can design strategies for improving congruity between physical and online stores, and ultimately, increase online store loyalty

Research on the Formation Mechanism of Multichannel Retailer Loyalty Based on Experience Spillover and Channel Reciprocity

This study proposed a multichannel loyalty model aimed at integrating experience theory, schema theory and loyalty theory. Particularly, we built a multichannel retailer loyalty framework not only from the perspective of multichannel shopping behavior, but also from sequences of channel choices, namely shopping paths, including search online but purchase offline and search offline but purchase online. Correspondingly, this study segmented the framework into two specific models: Model1.search products in one multichannel retailer’s physical, and then purchase in the same multichannel retailer’s website (model 1:offline-online); Model2.search products in one multichannel retailer’s website, and then purchase in the same multichannel retailer’s physical store (model 2:online-offline).Besides, this study empirically tested the model by EFA and CFA with the use of Spss20 and Amos19 after developing the Structural Equation Model. As a result, we demonstrated that experience plays an important role on multichannel retailer loyalty through trust. Moreover, there exists experience spillover effect of channels. A significant interactive effect of trust on loyalty among channel has been supported

Customer buying experience in multichannel retailing : Transition fluency during customers’ interactions with click-and-mortar furniture and interior design retailers

Meaningful, memorable and unique customer experiences are proved to influence customer satisfaction and customer loyalty, creating value for companies. However, due to changing multichannel environment and the lack of common understanding of customer experience phenomenon, many retailers struggle to provide their customers with exceptional experiences. This study took on a challenge to conceptualise customer buying experience in multichannel context. The aim of this study was to explore what relevance experience of the multichannel customer during his/her transitions between online and offline retail channels has in customer buying experience. The focus was placed on customer interactions with click-and-mortar furniture and interior design retailers. Multi-method qualitative research design was chosen to explore the phenomena and seek the support for the conceptual framework developed in the literature review. Qualitative data was collected through ten individual semi-structured interviews with consumers and two consumer focus groups, which resulted in 7 hours 12 minutes of audio material. Despite the challenges of approaching such an intangible topic, both data collection methods gave useful insights into the topic of customer buying experience formation. The data was mainly in line with the suggested theoretical model, but also succeeded to develop the model further, bringing the components of customer buying experience closer to service quality components, and emphasising even more the role of channel integration and omnichannel strategies. Basing on the results of this study, several hypotheses for future quantitative research can be proposed. The managerial implications of this study may be useful in the field of specialised multichannel retailing

Multichannel business strategies and performance

[ES]El uso de Internet y las nuevas tecnologías de información está en continuo crecimiento. En el pasado año el comercio electrónico en España supuso 12.383 millones de euros, con 27.2 millones de usuarios (ONTSI, 2012). Estos nuevos instrumentos suponen una revolución en la gestión tradicional de las relaciones con los clientes. Resulta fundamental entender que las empresas tienen que atender las demandas del consumidor de manera efectiva e inmediata. Este nuevo consumidor 360º supone considerar al cliente desde una perspectiva integrada, puesto que dispone de información multicanal completa y actualizada. Las empresas necesitan por lo tanto sacar partido de sus fuentes de información internas y externas para evaluar los requerimientos de compra del consumidor y atenderlos de manera que el proceso de compra sea una experiencia plenamente satisfactoria. Las empresas (especialmente las PYMES) nunca se habían encontrado con este desafío (los consumidores tienen más acceso que nunca a información instantánea de manera gratuita), por lo que resulta fundamental atender las necesidades del cliente multicanal

Ubiquity of offerings : the development and validation of a scale to measure omnichannel perception

This thesis aims to better understand how customers perceive omnichannel, developing a scale for this. This channel strategy, which is an upgrade of multi and cross-channel, brings the ubiquity of offerings, that is, the integration and interaction of marketing channels, providing a unique shopping experience. Although it has been a widely studied phenomenon, Marketing Science Institute considers it one of the top research priorities (MSI, 2018), reinforcing the need of studies such as this. Unraveling the customer point of view, this study attempts to bring a holistic perspective of the subject. Having the theory about omnichannel along with the ten items brought by Li et al. (2017) to measure Cross-Channel Integration as a starting point, this research began with a qualitative inquiry, using means-end theory and interviewing 29 participants in order to form attribute-consequencevalue chains and understand the reasons why customers use more than one channel in the same shopping journey. After that, a panel of experts was performed, contemplating two national and three international scholars. These two steps were crucial to form the steps that took place thereafter. Three rounds of quantitative surveys were conducted using online questionnaires in order to reduce the number of variables into an ideal number of factors. After exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis, the final measurement tool had 17 items in 5 factors: post-purchase services, promotions, BOPS, advantages and interactions with the retailer. Also, the predictive power of the scale was tested, and different simulations showed new perspectives for future studies. Specially the first factor was strongly related to loyalty outputs, that are satisfaction with the ubiquity of channels, recommendation and intention to use more channels from that retailer. Besides the relevance for marketing theory concerning channels, the research also constributes for retailers that seek to stand out for adopting omnichannel.Esta tese busca entender melhor como os clientes percebem o omnichannel, desenvolvendo uma escala para ele. Essa estratégia de canal, que é uma atualização de multi canal e cross-channel, traz a onipresença de ofertas, ou seja, a integração e a interação dos canais de marketing, proporcionando uma experiência de compra única. Embora tenha sido um fenômeno amplamente estudado, o Marketing Science Institute o considera uma das principais prioridades de pesquisa (MSI, 2018), reforçando a necessidade de estudos como este. Desvendando o ponto de vista do cliente, este estudo tenta trazer uma perspectiva holística do assunto. Tendo a teoria sobre omnichannel juntamente com os dez itens trazidos por Li et al. (2017) para medir a integração entre canais como ponto de partida, esta pesquisa começou com uma investigação qualitativa, usando a teoria meios-fim, e entrevistando 29 participantes, a fim de formar cadeias de atributo-consequência-valor e entender as razões pelas quais os clientes usam mais que um canal na mesma jornada de compra. Em seguida, foi realizado um painel de especialistas, contemplando dois acadêmicos nacionais e três internacionais. Esses dois passos foram cruciais para formar os passos que ocorreram posteriormente. Três rodadas de pesquisas quantitativas foram realizadas usando questionários on-line, a fim de reduzir o número de variáveis em um número ideal de fatores. Após análise fatorial exploratória e confirmatória, a ferramenta final de medição teve 17 itens em 5 fatores: serviços pós-compra, promoções, BOPS, vantagens e interações com o varejista. Além disso, o poder preditivo da escala foi testado, e diferentes simulações mostraram novas perspectivas para estudos futuros. Especialmente, o primeiro fator estava fortemente relacionado aos resultados de lealdade, que são a satisfação com a onipresença dos canais, a recomendação e a intenção de usar mais canais do varejista. Além da relevância para a teoria do marketing em relação aos canais, a pesquisa também contribui para varejistas que procuram se destacar por adotar o omnichannel

Challenges at the marketing–operations interface in omni-channel retail environments

To compete in today’s omni-channel business context, it is essential for firms to co-ordinate their activities across channels and across different stages of the customer journey and the product flow. This requires firms to adopt an integrative approach, addressing each omni-channel design decision from a dual demand-side (marketing) and supply-side (operations) perspective. However, both in practice and in academic research, such an integrative approach is still in an immature stage. In this article, a framework is developed with the following key decision areas: (i) assortment & inventory, (ii) distribution & delivery and (iii) returns. These affect both the customer journey and the product flow. As a consequence of the resulting interdependencies between the firm’s functions, addressing the issues that arise in the three decision areas requires an integrated marketing and operations perspective. For each of the areas, the key decisions that affect or involve both the customer journey and product flow are identified first. Next, for each decision, the marketing and operational goals and the tensions that arise when these goals are not perfectly aligned are described. The opportunities for relieving these tensions are also discussed and possible directions for future research aimed at addressing these tensions and opportunities are presented.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Multichannel retail environment: opportunities and challenges

A seamless customer shopping experience has been provided in a multichannel environment. Currently, firms are using various shopping channels to enhance the customer satisfaction. Customers can use various channels like traditional physical stores, internet-based stores and social media as well to complete their shopping tasks. A large number of people embracing the innovative multichannel environment for information sharing in different online and offline channels. Now a days, these customers require a tailored experience and major portion of these customers demand from the firms to provide a customized solution for their purchasing needs. Consequently, the firms acknowledged the current demands of the customers and opening multiple channels to cater these customers preferences, recording their purchasing history and customer data from multiple channels to provide them an innovative shopping experience. The instant success of these multichannel firms forced the other firms to open multiple channels to boost their image and enjoy higher customer satisfaction and loyalty. However, increasing the number of channels in a firm require a close coordination strategy and synergy among these channels. Channel integration is a possible solution for managing these multiple channels to create a complementary effect

Critical review of the e-loyalty literature: a purchase-centred framework

Over the last few years, the concept of online loyalty has been examined extensively in the literature, and it remains a topic of constant inquiry for both academics and marketing managers. The tremendous development of the Internet for both marketing and e-commerce settings, in conjunction with the growing desire of consumers to purchase online, has promoted two main outcomes: (a) increasing numbers of Business-to-Customer companies running businesses online and (b) the development of a variety of different e-loyalty research models. However, current research lacks a systematic review of the literature that provides a general conceptual framework on e-loyalty, which would help managers to understand their customers better, to take advantage of industry-related factors, and to improve their service quality. The present study is an attempt to critically synthesize results from multiple empirical studies on e-loyalty. Our findings illustrate that 62 instruments for measuring e-loyalty are currently in use, influenced predominantly by Zeithaml et al. (J Marketing. 1996;60(2):31-46) and Oliver (1997; Satisfaction: a behavioral perspective on the consumer. New York: McGraw Hill). Additionally, we propose a new general conceptual framework, which leads to antecedents dividing e-loyalty on the basis of the action of purchase into pre-purchase, during-purchase and after-purchase factors. To conclude, a number of managerial implementations are suggested in order to help marketing managers increase their customers’ e-loyalty by making crucial changes in each purchase stage

Toward a three-dimensional framework for omni-channel

The omni-channel, as an emerging trend in retail, aims to coordinate processes and technologies across supply and sales channels. The evolution of this concept is still nascent. This paper develops a conceptual framework for omni-channel systems, configured by three dimensions of channel stage, channel type and channel agent. Integration and visibility are also explored and discussed as the main enablers, which support the implementation of omni-channel framework. This research is built upon the empirical and secondary data. Multiple case studies and expert interview methods are employed for data collection to validate the recommended framework and to explore its applicability. The framework proposed, along with the key integration and visibility enablers identified for the omni-channel, can be applied to a wide range of retail supply chains. It helps managers to develop, run and monitor omni-channel systems; it may also serve as a stepping-stone for development of the literature on omni-channel systems