How Does Channel Integration Affect Consumers’ Selection of Omni-Channel Shopping Methods? An Empirical Study of U.S. Consumers

Abstract

In recent years, fashion brands and retailers have been advancing rapidly to provide U.S. consumers more seamless omni-channel shopping experiences. The pandemic has further accelerated the growth of omni-channel shopping. This study aimed to explore the effects of channel integration in six aspects (i.e., promotion, product and price, transaction information, information access, order fulfillment, and customer service) on the U.S. consumers’ intentions to use three omni-channel shopping methods: buy online pick-up in-store (BOPI), buy online curbside pickup (BOCP), and buy in-store home delivery (BIHD). We proposed a mediation model to test the effects through consumer perceived values (hedonic value, utilitarian value), perceived risk, and perceived behavioral control. Furthermore, this study explored the moderating effect of perceived COVID-19 vulnerability on the relationships between consumers’ internal evaluations of channel integration and their shopping method selection intentions. A total of 516 eligible responses were gathered through a survey of U.S. consumers. Multiple regressions were applied to test the hypotheses. Six types of channel integration showed significant effects on the U.S. consumers’ internal evaluations, which in turn influence their intentions to use certain types of omni-channel shopping methods. Overall, the proposed model exhibits a satisfactory explanatory power.

Influence of Residential Photovoltaic Promotion Policy on Installation Intention in Typical Regions of China

“…Perceived risk originates from the theory of customer perceived value, which is often used in the field of consumer behavior [62]. Park et al [21] believed that perceived risk (PR) also plays an important role in users' acceptance of new technological products and used it to predict the user acceptance of the smart grid.…”

“…Referring to the definition of Davis [62], the PEOU here is specifically defined as the user's subjective perception of the difficulty of using and maintaining a residential photovoltaic system. With regard to the research of Ahmad et al [21], the stronger the residents' PEOU of residential photovoltaic system, the more easily its purchase and installation behavior can be implemented, so the following hypothesis is made: Hypothesis 2 (H2).…”

“…In the demographics section, the income mainly refers to the average annual residential income. The main variables are measured using the Likert 5-point scale, and the measurement scales are shown in Table 1 Among them, PB refers to Stern [67] and Kim et al [26], and PG refers to the scales used by Wang et al [7] and Teng et al [42]; scale use, perceived usefulness, PEOU, and installation intention refer to Davis [62] and Ahmad [21], while scale development and PR refer to Park [20]. The construct of PR is negatively correlated with the installation intention (H3), PB (H7), and PG (H11), while the structural equation model requires the formative indicators of all latent variables to be consistent in measurement with other latent variables [68].…”

“…The purpose of this study is to use extended TAM to explore the impact path of two policies (subsidy policy and guidance policy) on residents' intention to install photovoltaic technology for different residential living conditions (bungalows, buildings). Mediating variables are as follows: PU and PEOU are derived from the TAM [61], PR is derived from the Theory of Perceived Value [62], PB comes from the research of Kim et al [26], and PG comes from Wang et al [7] and Teng et al [42]. The entire model is shown in Figure 1.…”

Collaborative Consumption: A Study of Sustainability Presentation in Fashion Rental Platforms

“…It has now been over two years since the COVID-19 pandemic began, which caused major disruptions to industries and supply chains worldwide, especially in the fashion industry. The pandemic initially brought the world and supply chain to a screeching halt, followed by decreased/halted production, input shortages, price increases, quarantining at home, and job losses, which have reduced consumer demand and spending and ultimately caused many consumers to focus on essentials and reduce discretionary purchases on apparel [1][2][3][4]. Apparel sales reported the largest category spending decline in the U.S. economy in 2020 [5].…”