Is New Really Always Better? How Technology Novelty Shapes Shopping Value in Physical Retail Stores
(A2026-134137)

AUTHORS

Max Pisek, University of Goettingen; Waldemar Toporowski, University of Goettingen

ABSTRACT

Retailers increasingly use novel technologies to differentiate the in-store experience, yet it remains unclear when and how novelty actually enhances customer value. This study shows that novelty does not alter a technology’s core value proposition but reshapes the secondary value consumers derive from it. Novelty can make convenience-oriented technologies feel engaging, yet complicates the shopping process and introduces cognitive friction when applied to experience-oriented interest technologies. Results from an online experiment with 210 participants provide empirical support for this asymmetry, demonstrating how novelty shapes the hedonic and utilitarian value created by convenience- and interest-oriented technologies. These value perceptions, in turn, influence visit intention and loyalty. The findings offer a nuanced perspective on how novelty affects technologically mediated shopping experiences and highlight the need to align novelty with a technology’s underlying design logic.