The Effects Of Consumer Derived Shopping Value On Channel Utilization Behavior

The proliferation of internet retailing channel managed in context in relation to the traditional retailing channel, has contributed to a profound change in consumer behaviors and shopping experiences. In order to survive and develop, it is important for retailers to know how their customers behave. Many researchers that have concentrated their efforts on the adoption and use of traditional store shopping are now moving to the channel utilization in a multi-channel context in recent years. Most of the current literature is confined to either in European or American background based on western market, more Chinese localized research is needed to determine whether the results generalize to international consumers. In addition, the scope of the current research about channel utilization is limited to certain types of retail channel background; there has been a lack of empirical research on this topic in a multi-channel retail environment. Accordingly, one of the key issues for researcher and practitioners alike is how to effectively design and target their channels via appropriate retailing channel strategies with respect to consumer channel utilization behavior and derived shopping values, which is also the mainly discussed topic in this study.First, this study looks beyond the existing shopping value and channel utilization literature. Then some in-depth interviews with marketing experts and ordinary consumers are employed. Based on the previous findings, the research model for this study is developed to explain the effects of shopping value on channel utilization behavior. By analyzing relevant literature, we also develop and improve measurement scales in the context of Chinese multi-channel market development. Finally, taking Chinese consumers apparel choosing and shopping for the research sample, a total of 257 usable questionnaires are collected mainly used for reliability test, validity test and hypothesis tests.Reliability and validity tests indicate that the measurement scales for shopping value developed in the study are valid and reliable in China. Furthermore, this study show that both utilitarian and hedonic values have positive effects on consumer search behavior in a offline store context ; the utilitarian value is more strongly related than hedonic value to internet channel utilization behavior, while hedonic value only plays a positive role in search behavior towards physical channel. These findings can be used to develop appropriate marketing management recommendations for managers in different channel background in view of consume channel utilization and company positioning.