E‐shopping in a multiple channel environment

Abstract

In the present study, the authors propose a segmentation schema based on patterns of e‐browsing and e‐purchasing. We examine self‐reports of browsing and purchasing using five specific non‐store channels: the Internet, television infomercials, advertising that accompanies regular television programming, television shopping channels, and print catalogs. Our findings indicate that shoppers who browse and/or purchase on the Internet differ in their use of multi‐channel options related to their perceptions of convenience. Some shoppers clearly want to purchase in the store setting and reject multiple forms of non‐store shopping. Others like to browse various non‐store media and have extended their browsing to the Internet, yet maintain their loyalty to in‐store purchases. Retailers who attempt to “convert” such shoppers to Internet‐only purchasing may alienate the shoppers who rely on the Internet solely for information.