scholarly journals The critical factors shaping customer shopping experiences with innovative technologies

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marianne Ylilehto ◽  
Hanna Komulainen ◽  
Pauliina Ulkuniemi
Keyword(s):  
Customer Experience ◽  
Research Strategy ◽  
Innovative Technology ◽  
Critical Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Innovative Technologies ◽  
Channel Choice ◽  
Shopping Experience ◽  
Retail Managers ◽  
Depth Interviews

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore the customer shopping experience in the innovative technology setting. Specifically, the purpose is to understand how do innovative technologies influence the customer shopping experience?Design/methodology/approachThis qualitative, explorative study has characteristics of a phenomenological research strategy. The data were collected from four focus groups and ten in-depth interviews with consumers. Abductive approach with an implementation of content analysis was used as a method of analysis.FindingsThe results show that there are three critical factors in customer's shopping experience in the context of innovative technologies; (1) channel choice, (2) value dimensions related to convenience and enjoyment, and (3) social interaction. All factors are highly intertwined and influence each other.Originality/valueThis study contributes to customer experience literature by offering a framework for understanding customer shopping experiences in the innovative technology setting. These findings have important implications for retail managers seeking to enhance customer experience and achieve a competitive advantage by utilizing innovative technology.

Tourism distribution in small island destinations: the case of Fernando de Noronha, Brazil

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 171-189
Author(s):  
Amalina Andrade ◽  
Karen A. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Distribution Channels ◽  
Small Island ◽  
Business Network ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Channel Choice ◽  
Emerging Country ◽  
Fernando De Noronha ◽  
Capacity Constrained ◽  
Airline Tickets ◽  
Depth Interviews

Purpose This paper investigates tourism distribution channels in a small island destination with capacity constraints and contributes to understanding distribution in an emerging economy. Using the case of Fernando de Noronha in Brazil, the structures and factors underlying channel choice behaviour of tourism suppliers and intermediaries were investigated. Design/methodology/approach 41 in-depth interviews were conducted with the private sector (tourism suppliers based on Fernando de Noronha and intermediaries, based on the island as well as mainland Brazil) as well as governmental organisations. A stratified purposeful sample was taken to select suppliers and data were examined based on thematic analysis. Findings Both direct and indirect distribution channels are used, with limited airline tickets influencing the suppliers' choice of channels in this small island and capacity-constrained destination. Many suppliers focused on relationships with destination-based ground operators. These local intermediaries are important and extremely relevant to small island destinations building an effective business network to connect the destination to geographically distant markets and intermediaries. Research limitations/implications Limitations include the absence of air and cruise operators as interviewees. Originality/value The paper provides a comprehensive representation of the structures and analysis of tourism distribution channels in fragile small island destinations, specifically, in an emerging country context. This includes emphasising previously unexplored indirect channels of cruise ship operators and supplier's associations.

Intelligent sensor-based services success: the role of consumer characteristics and information

2014 ◽  
Vol 48 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 406-431 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiyoung Hwang ◽  
Linda Good
Keyword(s):  
Radio Frequency Identification ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Innovative Technology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Intelligent Sensor ◽  
Innovative Technologies ◽  
Consumer Perspectives ◽  
Frequency Identification ◽  
Post Hoc

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to investigate the role of consumer characteristics and information in explaining their shopping intention regarding intelligent sensor-based services. Design/methodology/approach – This study uses scenario-based experiments with the US consumers, in the context of retailers offering radio frequency identification (RFID)-based services. A post-hoc focus group interview was conducted to gain indepth insights into the study findings. Findings – Consumers' optimistic attitude toward innovative technologies was highly influential to their shopping intention regardless of the information message valence. The role of discomfort toward innovative technologies is mixed. Contrary to the prediction, when consumers received negative information about RFID-based services, their prior knowledge of innovative technologies increased their shopping intention. Sub-dimensions of privacy concerns had differential impacts depending on the information content. Also, the negativity effect of information about RFID-based services was supported. Research limitations/implications – The results showed the important role of consumer characteristics and information together, in regard to consumers' intention to shop. The specific context, RFID-based services, has been rarely studied with consumer perspectives despite the prediction of increasing item-level adoption by retailers. Practical implications – Companies should understand their target consumers particularly regarding optimistic attitude toward and knowledge of innovative technology for improved consumers' reactions to intelligent sensor-based services like RFID. Originality/value – As one of the few empirical studies on intelligent sensor-based services, this study provides important insights into the roles of consumer traits and communication about intelligent sensor-based services with consumers, in order for companies to fully harness innovative service offerings.

scholarly journals Environmental turbulence: impact on UK SMEs’ manufacturing priorities

2016 ◽  
Vol 39 (10) ◽  
pp. 1239-1264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eustathios Sainidis ◽  
Andrew Robson
Keyword(s):  
Research Strategy ◽  
Environmental Turbulence ◽  
Manufacturing Strategy ◽  
Process Technology ◽  
Manufacturing Costs ◽  
Competitive Priorities ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Manufacturing Priorities

Purpose This paper aims to assess the impact of 2008 recession (Great Recession)-led environmental turbulence on the manufacturing small and medium enterprise (SME) sector and its related competitive priorities. Design/methodology/approach A mixed methods research strategy, consisting of a survey of 104 manufacturing SMEs located in the UK, complemented by 17 in-depth interviews with senior management representatives from this survey group. Findings Senior managers have prompted a realignment of competitive manufacturing priorities accounting for external financial and market conditions. Differing competitive priorities post-recession are given to various areas of manufacturing decision-making, the greatest impact being on manufacturing costs. Manufacturing flexibility, performance in meeting customer deliveries and enhancing supplier selection are merited to increase priority with relatively little change for process technology, quality and environmental practices. Research limitations/implications The sample of survey participants was relatively small, therefore prohibiting an assessment of differences in competitive priorities by sub-sectors of manufacturing SMEs. This was offset by a healthy number of informative, in-depth interviews that provided a richness of examples and insight into the shifting priorities for the sector. Practical implications Clear priorities have emerged around reducing manufacturing costs, being more flexible in manufacturing and improving outward performance relating to customers and suppliers. Originality/value This builds on established manufacturing strategy constructs and points to necessary competitive priority realignment focused on the performance areas listed above.

Why do online grocery shoppers switch or stay? An exploratory analysis of consumers’ response to online grocery shopping experience

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (12) ◽  
pp. 1300-1317 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reema Singh
Keyword(s):  
Critical Incident ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Customer Experience ◽  
Grocery Shopping ◽  
Intention To Stay ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Psychological States ◽  
Shopping Experience ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to add to current knowledge of online customer experience (OCE) by examining various drivers and outcomes of online grocery shopping experience that can help researchers and retailers answer the pressing question: “Why do online grocery customers stay or switch?” Design/methodology/approach This study applied netnography and critical incident analysis to a pool of 1,004 reviews captured from forum and review sites dedicated to online grocery shopping. Findings Two broad dimensions of OCE, four attributes and 13 factors corresponding to shoppers’ psychological states and their utilitarian and hedonic orientations emerged from the data analysis. The proposed framework, containing these four attributes and corresponding 13 factors, captures the consumers’ intention to stay with the current retailer or switch. Research limitations/implications The study contributes to existing knowledge of OCE by providing a dynamic and yet holistic framework that encompasses experiential states and utilitarian or hedonic orientations in an online grocery context. Although its contributions are valuable to both researchers and practitioners, further quantitative analysis is needed to validate the findings. Practical implications In addition to providing superior customer experience by implementing the various drivers of OCE identified here, online grocery retailers can use the study findings as a strategic guide toward building a frictionless and pleasurable shopping experience. Originality/value The study employs netnography and critical incident technique to identify experiential attributes such as reliability, responsiveness, return and refund, which are unique OCE attributes in online grocery, a relatively unexamined field of retailing.

Extending the experience construct: an examination of online grocery shopping

2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (10) ◽  
pp. 2419-2446 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reema Singh ◽  
Magnus Söderlund
Keyword(s):  
Customer Service ◽  
Customer Experience ◽  
Partial Least Square ◽  
Least Square ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Grocery Shopping ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Structure Equation Modeling ◽  
Holistic Understanding ◽  
Shopping Experience

Purpose This study aims to assess factors influencing customers’ online grocery shopping experiences, and it evaluates the central role of customer service and consumers’ responses to satisfying grocery shopping. Design/methodology/approach A mixed-methods approach was used; linguistic inquiry and the word count (LIWC) method captured qualitative aspects of consumers’ grocery shopping experience, whereas partial least square-structure equation modeling tested hypotheses regarding antecedents to consumers’ overall online grocery shopping experience. Findings The PLS-based analysis confirmed the qualitative insights, establishing the significance of customer service, which accounted for 68% variance in the overall experience and 42% variance in customer satisfaction, along with other experience antecedents such as website, product and delivery. Research limitations/implications Future researchers could further analyze experience as a dynamic process focusing on consumer and retailer brand-focused constructs, specifically focusing on creating a holistic understanding of customer service that establishes coherence between retailers’ marketing values and their customer service. Practical implications Managers should acknowledge the importance of customer service in creating a satisfying customer experience, and they should respond to consumer concerns, resulting in enhanced brand-related experience. Originality/value Responding to the call for a better understanding of customer service, this study brings out the challenges online grocery shoppers are facing in terms of customer service and empirically establishes customer service as a key driver of customer experience, thereby extending the earlier work on customer service and online customer experience.

scholarly journals Examining retail customer experience and the moderation effect of loyalty programmes

2014 ◽  
Vol 42 (10) ◽  
pp. 929-947 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhibin Lin ◽  
Dag Bennett
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Progress ◽  
Customer Experience ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Moderation Effect ◽  
Empirical Results ◽  
Replication Studies ◽  
Empirical Generalization ◽  
Retail Managers ◽  
Customer Satisfaction And Loyalty ◽  
Loyalty Programme

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the construct of retail customer experience (CE) and its links to satisfaction and loyalty; and to test whether loyalty programmes perform a moderating effect on those links. Design/methodology/approach – A variety of retail attributes are integrated to develop a holistic CE construct using formative measures, with four in-built, differentiated replication studies conducted in the supermarket and department store sectors in China. Findings – The empirical results confirm the model of CE’s impact on customer satisfaction and loyalty; but reveal that loyalty programmes perform an insignificant moderating role in enhancing the linkages in the model. Research limitations/implications – Further studies may examine whether our findings hold true for each individual loyalty programme. The paper calls for more studies based on multiple, in-built, differentiated replication studies and measures to encourage publication of negative empirical results so as to ensure empirical generalization and self-correction in the literature. Practical implications – Retail managers should focus attention on the design and delivery of great CE, without placing great reliance on loyalty programmes. Both cognitive and emotional attributes of retailing services should be considered for managing a holistic CE. Originality/value – The paper examines a model of CE with loyalty programme as a possible moderator; it uses formative measures of CE, multiple in-built replications and reports negative empirical results, which are critical to the development of scientific progress in retail management research.

Designing a memorable in-store customer shopping experience: practical evidence from sports equipment retailers

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Angelo Bonfanti ◽  
Georgia Yfantidou
Keyword(s):  
Social Relationships ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Limited Attention ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Shopping Experience ◽  
Retail Managers ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThis study aims to detect the dimensions of the in-store customer shopping experience from the sports retailer perspective and to investigate how the role of sports equipment stores is changing.Design/methodology/approachThis exploratory study performs semi-structured interviews with retail managers of sports equipment stores.FindingsThis research reveals the importance of the dimensions of immersive design, sensorial ambient elements, social relationships, trialability and real experience sharing in designing a memorable in-store shopping experience in sports stores, and it highlights that the store's role in the sports context is transitioning from sales space to an interactive, immersive, engaging and convivial place. It proposes a model to design the in-store customer shopping experience effectively.Practical implicationsSports equipment managers can make their physical stores as experiential as possible by investing in expert, passionate personnel and technology in order to create a real in-store experience of the product and the sports practice.Originality/valueWhile sports equipment retailers acknowledge the importance of providing customers with a memorable shopping experience by creating an evocative environment and placing multiple touchpoints in stores, management scholars have paid limited attention to sports stores. This study explores the ways in which sports retail managers can design their stores effectively in experiential terms.

Children as actors of tomorrow’s hypermarket experience

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (6) ◽  
pp. 699-711
Author(s):  
Maria D. De-Juan-Vigaray ◽  
Monali Hota
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Customer Experience ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Specific Reference ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Independent Variables ◽  
Parents And Children ◽  
Shopping Experience ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to see how children aged 7–11 years can become the actors of tomorrow’s hypermarket experience by providing a review of past research on children as retail consumers, with a specific reference to their customer experience. Design/methodology/approach The literature review will be organised by presenting a “child hypermarket customer experience” model. Finally, a conceptual and methodological critique of past research will be presented followed by the revised model and conclusions. Findings The literature review finds six independent variables presented in the model: customer satisfaction, in-store conflicts, buying intention, purchase basket value, loyalty and average time spent in store measure a positive hypermarket shopping experience for children. There are then six types of mediators presented in the updated model: type of product, product offering, pocket money amount, environment, technology (games, tablets) and experiential marketing that mediate the impact of these independent variables on children as the actors of tomorrow’s hypermarket experience. Research limitations/implications This paper is conceptual in nature. Future research should empirically validate the conceptual model developed in the paper for children 7–11 years of age. Practical implications The conceptual discussion shows that hypermarket managers can use technology such as games and tablets not only to reduce the conflicts between parents and children in hypermarkets but also positively impact on the average time spent in the store. Further, the discussion shows that hypermarket managers can offer children the experience they expect with the use of specific experiential stimuli adapted to children in “children’s aisles” such as toys, children’s clothing, children’s hi-tech and children’s books. They can also theme the experience for children using memorabilia and the engagement of senses. Managerial research should empirically validate this for children 7–11 years of age. Originality/value This is the first study that conceptually creates a model of children as the actors of tomorrow’s hypermarket experience. This is something that empirically researched will enhance the understanding of young consumers’ behaviour in the retail process in this advanced age of retailing.

Managing the customer experience: a beauty retailer deploys all tactics

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clara Koetz
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Case Analysis ◽  
Customer Experience ◽  
Customer Engagement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Customer Experience Management ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Customer Delight ◽  
Shopping Experience

Purpose This paper aims to analyze the concept of customer experience in the marketing literature, identify its dimensions and applications in retail companies and integrate it with the concepts of touchpoints and consumer journey; some correlated concepts, such as customer delight and engagement, are also clarified, and an example of best practice customer experience management, using the beauty product company Sephora as a reference is provided. Design/methodology/approach The case analysis was based on an examination of available public documents, such as press articles, case studies and the content of beauty blogs and social media (Facebook and YouTube) from 2014 to 2017; Sephora’s social media communities (Beauty Talk, The Glossy and Sephora TV); the company’s website and mobile application; and physical stores and Sephora Flash (a mix of a physical and digital store). Findings Four categories emerged from the analysis, namely, to provide an enhanced omni-channel shopping experience, to reward loyalty and to bond with customers, to promote social shopping experiences and to delight customers. Practical implications The study results provide retail managers important insights for maximizing customer experience across different touchpoints and throughout the whole journey to increase customer engagement and loyalty. Originality/value The paper provides clear theoretical and practical basis for customer experience management, based on an analysis of the concepts of customer experience, delight and engagement, as well as a case analysis of a company that excels in this area.

scholarly journals From bureaucratic machines to inter-organizational networks

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 568-590 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Ramon Gil-Garcia ◽  
Theresa A. Pardo ◽  
Djoko Sigit Sayogo
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Response ◽  
World Trade Center ◽  
Empirical Support ◽  
Research Strategy ◽  
Mixed Method Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Network ◽  
Trade Center ◽  
Complete Detachment ◽  
Depth Interviews

Purpose This paper aims to argue that the structure of the response to the World Trade Center (WTC) crisis can be characterized as an inter-organizational network and the majority of the activities can be identified as network management. Design/methodology/approach Using a mixed-method research strategy encompassing in-depth interviews and a sociometric survey, the authors characterize the response as an inter-organizational network and describe significant factors that facilitate the effective functioning and management of an emergency response. Findings The results provide empirical support for the claim that the management of the WTC response was very different from normal government operations in many respects. However, it was also found that complete detachment of the network-form of organization from bureaucratic hierarchy is not always possible in an emergency response, particularly in terms of leadership and the availability of resources. Originality/value The authors argue that bureaucratic leadership exists in political layers and is sometimes needed to provide social value to the general public and promote their engagement. Finally, the authors found evidence that the effectiveness of networks in an emergency response is influenced by certain enabling conditions, such as the severity of events, and suggest some implications for government operations.

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