University of Twente Student Theses
Identifying online customer behavior characteristics of online/offline customers : A retailer trying to adopt an omni-channel focus
Horst, T. ter (2016) Identifying online customer behavior characteristics of online/offline customers : A retailer trying to adopt an omni-channel focus.
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| Abstract: | The main purpose of this study is to identify online customer behavior characteristics of online/offline purchasing customers. Identified online customer behavior characteristics may provide new research directions. Which eventually give the opportunity to try out new ways to improve customer experience and performance across channels and can help omni-channel retailers. A website can provide customers with information about products, opening hours, driving directions, showrooms stock information, etc. Further the website usability and visual design can influence the behavior of customers. But when a website is usability friendly and has an attractive visual design is no guarantee for success. This is because customers have the ability to use different online marketing touchpoints to find and visit the right website. To identify online customer behavior characteristics, there are 16.919 customers invited to participate in a survey. All invited customers were from a retailer operating with an e-commerce website and two physical showrooms. In total, 857 customers who purchased at the website and 737 customers who visited the website and purchased at the physical store completed the online survey. Analysis of the results under the respondents gave insights into identifiable online customer behavior characteristics of online/offline purchasing customers. For example, customers most often used website information such as the product description, size, photo’s and product price. Further product reviews are valued more relevant, useful and more often contain the right information compared with company reviews. And this study also indicate that search engines are most often used online marketing touchpoints to visit the website. The conclusion and recommendations in this study, allow click and brick retailers to further optimize their omni-channel strategy across channels. Furthermore this study gives research direction to researchers to further explore the effects of integrating website information and features across channels. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 01 general works |
| Programme: | Business Administration MSc (60644) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/70093 |
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