Understanding the effects of personalization along the customer journey
(A2024-118350)

AUTHORS

Marco Weippert, University of Stuttgart; Christina Kuehnl, University of Stuttgart

ABSTRACT

Retailers increasingly personalize touchpoints in retail customer journeys, which can have both positive and negative consequences for customers. To date, however, research has studied these consequences either for distinct touchpoint natures (i.e., digital, physical, human) or distinct stages of the customer journey (i.e., prepurchase, purchase, postpurchase). Understanding how personalization affects customers’ privacy concerns and preferences for personalization is crucial for retailers to effectively design entire customer journeys. Following a pilot study, the results of a repeated measures ANOVA reveal that customers exhibit different privacy concerns and personalization preferences across touchpoint natures and customer journey stages. Our study offers scholars and practitioners nuanced insights into the complex dynamics of personalization effects on customers’ privacy concerns and personalization preferences, enabling more targeted and customer-centric journey designs.