Investigating shopping experience and fulfilment in omnichannel retailing : a proposed comparative study in Romania and UK of Generation Y consumers

Paper delivered at the 21st Logistics Research Network annual conference 2016, 7th-9th September 2016, Hull. Abstract Purpose: This paper presents a literature review and proposed research agenda to examine whether Romanian retailers are more inclined than UK retailers to reach out to young consumers, i.e. Generation Y through omnichannel retailing to improve their shopping experiences and also determine the impact of this strategy on logistical and fulfilment activities. Research approach: This paper is based on a literature review in three key areas: omnichannel retailing, young consumers’ attitudes and fulfilment and the propensity of online buying behaviour in an emerging market (Romania) versus a more developed economy (UK). As there are few studies related to these aspects, the paper attempts to highlight the best options retailers have for both marketing and online fulfilment when addressing/entering new markets that are very attractive but where cultural background are more different than their traditional markets. Findings and Originality: The literature review suggests there is an opportunity to explore two main relationships: i) marketing and fulfilment for online consumers and omnichannel retailing efforts, and ii) consumers’ propensity to purchase online in an emerging market versus a developed economy. Research impact: This paper suggests some research concepts and ideas to investigate the online fulfilment and buying behaviour of younger generations of consumers in both Romania and the UK. The scope of the proposed agenda will include young consumers’ purchase behaviours’ as regards omnichannel retailing, and logistical fulfilment in an emerging market versus a developed economy including different cultural backgrounds. Practical impact: The paper provides some direction for practitioners on assessing proper market development strategies on an emerging international context, taking into consideration different cultural implications and patterns, as well as focussing on buying propensity of different generations when active in omnichannel retailing. However, the suggested research concepts and ideas would provide a more holistic approach towards a better overall performance of retailers

Exploring unattended delivery services in e-grocery retail : A consumer-centric perspective on last-mile logistics

The retail landscape is transforming at an unprecedented speed and scale, thereby driving an unparalleled growth in last-mile delivery. The already rapidly growing online sales have been further fueled by the coronavirus pandemic. However, the share of online sales varies greatly among different retail sectors. In grocery retail, the share of online sales is still relatively low even though it is the fastest growing e-retail sector. The idiosyncrasies of groceries set high requirements for last-mile delivery. Thus, retailers continuously explore the use of innovative services. Despite the growing interest of scholars in last-mile logistics, little is known about the customer perspective on delivery services. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to contribute to consumer-centric last-mile logistics research. This research employs a qualitative exploratory approach based on three studies that have been presented in three appended papers. The first study is a systematic review of the literature in last-mile logistics. The systematic review reveals a lack of consumer research in the field. Thus, the subsequent empirical studies explore the consumer perspective on last-mile delivery using a marketing perspective. The second study is a multiple case study on early adopters of unattended grocery delivery services that explores customer expectations of such services. The third study is an interview study that explores the customer experience related to unattended grocery delivery services. The findings of this licentiate thesis shed light on the consumer perspective in last-mile logistics. The systematic literature review reveals that last-mile logistics research lacks examination from the consumer perspective. The findings of the multiple case study provide a conceptual model of customer expectations of unattended grocery delivery services. The model represents the relationship between forms and determinants of service expectations. The study finds various forms of desired service, expected standard service, and predicted service. Furthermore, the empirical evidence demonstrates that these service expectations are determined by personal needs, technology literacy, and situational factors. The interview study findings offer a conceptual model of the customer experience of unattended grocery delivery services. The model represents the relationship between customer experience elements, customer experience dimensions, and unattended grocery delivery experience. The analysis reveals various elements related to the emotional, cognitive, social, and behavioral experiences of customers. This research has several implications for theory and practice. Theoretically, this research contributes a cohesive overview of the literature on last-mile logistics. Further, the two empirical studies provide insights into the pre-purchase and post-purchase stages of the customer journey in unattended grocery delivery services. Managers can use the proposed conceptual models to design and improve unattended grocery delivery services

E-grocery challenges and remedies: Global market leaders perspective

The purpose of the study is to identify logistic elements germane to e-grocery businesses, and to reveal the challenges collateral with each logistic element. Further, it strives to create a better understanding of specific remedies that have been employed by top e-grocery retailers to overcome existing challenges while aligning identified challenges with Turban’s framework. Extensive semi-structured interviews were conducted with management staff in three of the top ten global online grocery retailers and another that was a market leader in a European country. The qualitative data collected was transcribed and coded using a non-hierarchical axial coding to identify emerging themes in content analysis. The results expose a range of challenges that could be compartmentalised into three broad categories, in harmony with the different stages of the order fulfilment process. Interestingly, the study found that most challenges were operational rather than tactical or strategic in nature. While the study expands existing knowledge, its revelation that most challenges lie in the management of roles and responsibilities domain is instructive. This makes it imperative for practitioners to focus on this specific area if meaningful improvement in e-grocery retailing performance is to be realised. This research offers a systematic understanding of supply and distribution challenges, including remedies utilised to ameliorate the effect of the challenges from the perspectives of the top companies in the industry. These remedies can be invaluable for existing and emerging e-grocers