Pathways of Offline-Online and Online-Offline Channel Integration in Omni-channel Retailing
(A2019-9578)

AUTHORS

Amelie Winters, Trier University; Bernhard Swoboda, Trier University

KEYWORDS

Offline-Online/Online-Offline Channel Integration; Channel Congruence; Omni-channel Retailing

ABSTRACT

Retailers increasingly use multiple channels to provide consumers with integrated and congruent services. However, knowledge on consumer responses to simultaneously perceived but different options of channel integration is still scarce. In this study, the pathways through which offline-online integration options or online-offline ones transform into offline and online purchase intentions (PI) are studied. Moreover, whether and how perceived channel congruence changes the pathways is shown. The authors draw on accessibility-diagnosticity theory and data on 716 consumer evaluations of leading omni-channel fashion retailers. Results indicate offline-online integrations’ diagnosticity for offline PI through offline and online marketing offers; for online PI through online offers only. For online PI pathways of online-offline integration are not crosswise at all. Moreover, initial results show a moderating role of perceived channel congruence. Important implications for retailers emerge.