You Buy Where You Buy Fresh Foods: Understanding The Role of Sensory and non-Sensory Products in Multichannel Store Loyalty Transference
(A2025-126056)

AUTHORS

Minji Seo, Master; Junghoon Moon, Seoul National University

ABSTRACT

This study aims to understand the transference of consumer loyalty from offline to online channels in the grocery sector, with a specific focus on sensory (fresh foods) and non-sensory (processed foods) products. This study utilized household panel data from 512 households in the Seoul capital area from 2016 to 2023 in multichannel retailers. The findings of two-part analysis indicate the dynamic mechanisms of loyalty transference. When consumers initially select online grocery stores, they tend to prefer retailers where they purchased more processed foods offline, due to the expectations for homogeneous quality. In contrast, as consumers gain experience in online grocery shopping, consumers tend to spend at the online store where they purchase more fresh foods offline. These findings provide multichannel strategies to match consistent processed food assortments across every channel and improve fresh foods departments offline.