Steering customers to the online channel: The influence of personal relationships, learning investments, and attitude toward the firm

Abstract

a b s t r a c tUnderstanding the consequences of customer steering is a key challenge of multichannel customer management. Although many firms are faced with the question whether customers should be steered to the online channel to realize the potential benefits of this channel, little is known about the circumstances under which customers will be unreceptive to the online channel and displeased if they are steered. This research addresses this critical gap and examines the impact of customer steering with assortment modifications on customers' online migration decisions and overall satisfaction in three experimental studies. The results highlight the importance of three contingency factors: personal relationships in the current channel, learning investments into the online channel and attitude toward the steering firm.

Engaging consumers on new integrated multichannel retail settings: Challenges for retailers

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Importance of price incentives for effects of customers' migration to internet channel

“…zgromadzenie i przesłanie kuponu lub wysłanie maila) (Dogan, 2010, s. 755). Taka sytuacja ma miejsce podczas przekierowywania klientów z dotychczasowego kanału marketingowego (origin channel) do preferowanego przez oferenta (target channel) -jest to proces inicjowany przez usługodawcę, który wykorzystuje różne środki kierujące (steering measures) celem zainicjowania migracji klientów do ekonomicznie atrakcyjnego kanału spełniającego potrzeby klientów (Herhausen, Schulten, Schögel, 2009). Uzasadnieniem dla takich działań jest zidentyfi kowana podatność klientów na zmianę prawdopodobieństwa wyboru kanału wraz z upływem czasu -Thomas i Sullivan (2005, s. 240) używają określenia niestacjonarność (nonstationarity).…”

Always Ahead im Marketing

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