Document Type
Thesis
First Faculty Advisor
Yasamin Salmani
Second Faculty Advisor
R. Isil Yavuz
Keywords
retail; management; behavior; omnichannel; marketing
Publisher
Bryant University
Rights Management
CC - BY - NC - ND
Abstract
Post-pandemic the retail industry is undergoing a digital transformation, rapidly impacting retailers' business, and consumer behavior: Omnichannel Retail. Successful implementation of omnichannel services, seamlessly integrating in-store and online sales channels, has launched across retail sectors, and become a key strategy for driving business performance. This paper investigates the numerous factors that influence consumer behavior in the new, post-pandemic state of retailing and e-commerce. An examination of consumer attitudes towards varying omnichannel services is measured across six different retail categories. Consumer and demographic attributes are investigated to identify the key characteristics impacting an uninterrupted customer journey and successful omnichannel execution for retailers. A survey of 467 responses, with each respondent randomly assigned to one of six conditions (retail categories), was analyzed via descriptive statistics, clustering, and cross-tabulation analyses. The study results concluded that, across all six categories, age is the strongest predictor of omnichannel attitudes, with ages 18-24 and 45+ being the most averse, specifically those with an income of $100,000 or more. Although there are no overall gender differences, preferences vary across retail categories based on demographic attributes and the type of omnichannel service described, with cost and convenience consistently identified as the most influential factors in the purchase decision. Further, this research suggests that varying target market preferences, when studied across different retail categories, significantly impact shopping behavior, consumer attitudes, and the effectiveness of an omnichannel retail strategy. Managerial and retail implications are also discussed.
