Beyond promotion-based store switching: Antecedents and patterns of systematic multiple-store shopping.

Abstract

In this paper, we demonstrate that single-purpose multiple store shopping is not only driven by opportunistic, promotion-based motivations, but may also be part of a longer term shopping planning process based on stable store characteristics. We find that consumers may systematically visit multiple stores to take advantage of two types of store complementarity. In the case of 'fixed cost complementarity', consumers alternate visits to high and low fixed cost stores to balance transaction and holding costs against acquisition costs. 'Category preference complementarity' occurs when different stores offer the best value for different product categories. Tying these multiple store shopping motivations to characteristics of grocery stores leads to interesting new insights into the nature of spatial retail competition.Category; Characteristics; Choice; Competition; Cost; Costs; Multiple store shopping; Patterns; Planning; Preference; Processes; Product; Spatial competition; Store choice; Value;