Mobile word of mouth (m-WOM): analysing its negative impact on webrooming in omnichannel retailing

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to analyse the influence of mobile word of mouth (m-WOM), received at the physical store, which “challenges” the consumer's preferences in a webrooming experience. The impacts of the social relationship between the sender and the receiver of the m-WOM and product category (electronics versus fashion accessories) are examined. Design/methodology/approach: An online experiment was carried out which manipulated the presence and type of challenging m-WOM, and product category, in a 3 × 2 between-subjects factorial design. The participants were 204 consumers recruited through a market research agency. Their perceptions about the helpfulness of the m-WOM, and their product preferences and choices, were analysed. Findings: Receiving in-store m-WOM was perceived as helpful by webroomers and affected their preferences and choices. For electronics online reviews posted by anonymous customers were more influential than friends' opinions, whereas the opposite was the case with fashion accessories. The trustworthiness and expertise of the m-WOM source may explain the effects of m-WOM. Practical implications: m-WOM entails challenges and opportunities for retailers in the omnichannel era. The findings suggest that allowing customers to access m-WOM may be beneficial; however, retailers must consider the type of m-WOM that may be most suitable for their businesses. Recommendations for referral and review sites are also offered. Originality/value: This study examines the impact of challenging m-WOM on shopping experiences, combining online, mobile and physical channels. The results revealed the importance of the information source and product category in the determination of consumers' perceptions of helpfulness, preferences and choice

Examining the Impact of Omnichannel retailing on Buying Intention Using Binary Models

The last decade showed that the customer journey is no longer linear and now contains numerous touchpoints. Omni-channel retailing intends to provide a smooth retail experience irrespective of where the consumer is on the internet or in-store, and which device they are using, or which channel they are accessing content through. The objective of this study was to check whether the integration of omnichannel has any impact on the buying intention of consumers in retail stores. The study used Probit and Logistic model to fulfill the study objective. The results show that omnichannel integration in retail stores has a significant positive impact on buying intention. Moreover, the results also show that the quality of the product, brand image, and social influence has a significant positive impact on the buying intention in the context of retail stores. This study recommends that retail stores can influence the buying intention of consumers by implanting an effective omnichannel strategy

Authentic omnichannel: providing consumers with a seamless brand experience through authenticity

Omnichannel represents a customer-oriented distribution paradigm through which retailers can deliver a seamless customer experience and create an authentic brand narrative that is communicated to customers across diverse touchpoints. Despite the increasing relevance of the omnichannel approach, research on how omnichannel can affect the customer experience remains scant. This research consists of a qualitative study and three experimental studies. Drawing from signaling theory, we contend that the signal congruency established by omnichannel — where all the channels are aligned and convey a consistent message to customers — can enhance consumers’ purchase intention and perceptions of brand authenticity. We further investigate the role of brand authenticity as a mediator of the relationship between multichannel customer experience (seamless vs. non-seamless) and purchase intention, as well as of brand untrustworthiness as a moderator of the relationship between multichannel customer experience and brand authenticity. The results show that a seamless multichannel customer experience has a significant main effect on purchase intention and that participants in the seamless multichannel customer experience condition perceive the brand as more authentic than those in the non-seamless multichannel customer experience condition. Both the mediation and moderation hypotheses are supported. These findings enhance the literature on signaling theory and omnichannel. They also provide insightful implications for retailers in terms of managing the omnichannel customer experience. Overall, this study integrates the research areas of brand authenticity and omnichannel and provides valuable insights by indicating how seamlessness can boost consumers’ perception of brand authenticity. Furthermore, the study advances our knowledge by investigating the impact of brand authenticity as both a result of the omnichannel customer experience and a predictor of purchase intention

Introducing the socialbot: a novel touchpoint along the young adult customer journey

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the special issue theme by exploring customer response to automated relationship management tactics on social media channels. Design/methodology/approach A total of 17 in-depth interviews of young adults, ranging from the age of 19 to 26, were conducted. From this, customer journey maps were compiled incorporating socialbots as a valuable touch point along the service delivery cycle. Findings The research frames the socialbot as a valued customer service agent to young adults with some favouring this over telephone and email communication methods. Younger consumers respond positively to the quick resolution offered by the socialbot mechanism with most acknowledging that the bot is only able to manage simplified requests. Human-to-human customer relationship management is preferential when the query reaches critical mass. Research limitations/implications Socialbots on Facebook Messenger provided the research context for this study; therefore, other platforms and owned website bots should be considered in future studies. Practical implications This research identifies the younger generation as a key target market for the development of customer service-related bots. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to examine the socialbot as an automated touch point in the customer journey and contributes knowledge to the growing body of literature focussed on artificial intelligence in customer service. Moreover, it provides valuable qualitative insights into how socialbots influence the customer experience and related outcome measures

The Impact Of The Experiential Context On The Consumer’s Emotional Reactions And Behavior: The Role Of Digital Stimuli

Shopping is not just about obtaining tangible products but also enjoyment and pleasure valuable benefits reflected in consumers' spending. Practical and theoretical concerns to examine how the experiential context features of retail stores stimulate consumers' enjoyment and pleasure. Previous studies examine the effects of physical and social environments on shoppers' responses and behavior. However, these studies focus on a limited number of atmospheric variables (e.g., scent, lighting, background music) in order to examine the extent to which consumers react affectively or cognitively. The development of new technologies and the web advent have led distributors to use digital stimuli. They can be considered as the main levers for manipulating emotional states and triggering purchases. This article aims to conceptualize the new digital aids used by retailers in order to facilitate the choice and enrich the customers’ experience by providing them with information, reassuring them, saving them time, or entertaining them