What conditions
determine consumers'
acceptance and use of
omnichannel retailing
in Swedish clothing
industry
MASTER DEGREE PROJECT THESIS WITHIN: Business Administration NUMBER OF CREDITS: 30 ECTS PROGRAMME OF STUDY: Strategic Entrepreneurship & Supply Chain AUTHOR: Ting Yang & Yang Wu JÖNKÖPING May 2021
Master Thesis in Business Administration
Title: What conditions determine consumers' acceptance and use of omnichannel retailing in Swedish clothing industry.
Authors: Ting Yang & Yang Wu Tutor: Ryan Michael Rumble Date: 2021-05-24
Key terms: Retail, Omnichannel, Consumer behaviour, SO-LO-MO.
Abstract
Background
In the past, consumers would go to physical stores to gather information and end their shopping there, with physical stores being one of the few sources of product information. Today, with the coming of the digital age, there are gradually more and more channels to gather information. The development of e-commerce, social media, and entertainment type of Internet has diversified the ways of consumption, thus triggering a change in retail channels. By integrating multiple channels and enhancing the consumer's sense of consumer experience, the retail industry is gradually moving toward omnichannel. Consumers tend to combine information from physical stores with information from multiple data sources to search, compare and buy, which gives rise to omnichannel shopping behaviour.
To provide consumers with a smoother shopping experience, omnichannel improves the functional limitations of cross-channel in multi-channel retail, allowing consumers to choose the channel and method they prefer and are accustomed to. This process breaks down the constraints of time and space and provides consumers with a more comfortable shopping experience. Therefore, this paper will focus on what affected consumers’ acceptance and use of omnichannel system.
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to consider omnichannel retail as a complete commercial system, and study what are key drivers for consumers to accept and use this system.
Method
This thesis takes a qualitative research analysis by conducting 10 semi-structured interview of respondents who live in Sweden. 237 initial codes were used to analyse the data by using template analysis, and thematic coding was performed through categorization and structured layer-by-layer coding.
Conclusion
The determinants of customer behaviour in omnichannel retailing in the Swedish clothing industry are: perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, perceived safety, perceived enjoyment, social influence, price value, and personal choice, and interaction was observed between these factors. These factors act synergistically on consumers' shopping intention and then influence consumer behaviour.
Acknowledgement
This thesis took nearly four months from the selection of the topic to the proposal,
determining the research methodology and theoretical basis, through the collection of data and the completion of the research paper. We have received a lot of support during this
memorable period. First of all, we would like to thank our supervisor, Ryan Michael Rumbel, for his patience and detailed guidance throughout the process. Professor Ryan is academically rigorous and knowledgeable, and he is conscientious and responsible in his work and will provide timely guidance and assistance to the authors. At the same time, his advice was very helpful and helped the authors to complete their dissertation, which was invaluable to the authors.
Then we would like to thank Jönköping University for providing an international study environment, every professor at the Jönköping International Business School for their
guidance and care over the past two years, and every friend of Jönköping University for their help.
We would also like to thank all the interviewees. Their active participation has provided us with valuable material for our research. We thank all the workshop participants, whose patient reading and analysis provided us with very useful feedback and comments, which helped us a lot.
Finally, we would like to thank our family and friends for their understanding and support, and for sharing our concerns and joys.
Jönköping University, May 2020
Table of Contents
1. Introduction ... 1
1.1 Background ... 1 1.2 Problem Discussion ... 2 1.3 Purpose ... 4 1.4 Research Questions ... 52. Literature review ... 6
2.1 SO-LO-MO ... 6 2.1.1 Social... 7 2.1.2 Local ... 7 2.1.3 Mobile ... 8 2.2 Evolution in retail ... 8 2.2.1 Traditional Retail ... 9 2.2.2 Online Channels ... 9 2.2.3 Multi-channel retailing... 10 2.3 Omnichannel retailing ... 11 2.3.1 Stage of maturity ... 12 2.3.2 A consumer-focused strategy ... 132.4 SO-LO-MO connection with Omnichannel ... 14
2.4.1 Showrooming and webrooming ... 15
2.4.2 The use of SO-LO-MO ... 15
2.5 Consumer behaviour ... 16
2.5.1 Attitudes of consumer toward technology in the omnichannel retailing ... 17
2.5.2 Consumers' motivation for choosing channels ... 19
2.6 Theoretical framework ... 20
3. Method ... 26
3.1 Research philosophy ... 26
3.2 Research approach and design... 27
3.2.1 Literature search... 27
3.2.2 Sampling and selection of participants ... 28
3.2.3 Semi-structured interview ... 30 3.2.4 Archival data ... 31 3.3 Data analysis ... 32 3.4 Valid ... 34 3.5 Reliability ... 34 3.6 Ethical consideration ... 35
4.Findings ... 36
4.1 SO-LO-MO ... 36 4.2 Coding ... 36 4.2.1 Perceived Usefulness ... 384.2.3 Perceived security ... 43 4.2.4 Social influence ... 44 4.2.5 Price value ... 45 4.2.6 Personal choice ... 46 4.2.7 Perceived enjoyment ... 47 4.3 Result ... 48
5. Discussion ... 51
5.1 Perceived usefulness ... 515.2 Perceived ease of use ... 52
5.3 Perceived security ... 53 5.4 Social influence ... 54 5.5 Price value ... 55 5.6 Personal choice ... 56 5.7 Perceived enjoyment ... 57
6 Conclusion ... 60
6.1 Conclusion ... 60 6.2 Implications ... 61 6.3 Limitations ... 62 6.4 Future research ... 63Reference: ... 64
Appendix: ... 71
Figures
Figure 1: The TAM model ... 22
Figure 2: Extending the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology ... 24
Figure 3: The Proposed Integrated Research Model... 24
Tables
Table 1: Themes ... 37Table 2 Coding ... 50
Appendix
Appendix1: Observation of company ... 71Appendix 2 ：Survey ... 72
Appendix 3：Interview Questions ... 73
List of Abbreviations
AR – Augmented Reality
ICT- Information and Communication Technologies KOL - Key Opinion Leader
RFM - Recency, Frequency and Monetary SO-LO-MO - Social and Local and Mobile TAM - Technology Acceptance Model
UAUT2 - Unified Theory of Technology Acceptance and Use UTAUT2 - Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology
1. Introduction
This chapter presents the background of the development of omnichannel sales and examines what factors make consumers accept as well as use omnichannel sales. In addition, the authors state the purpose of the study by discussing the issues of the research content and thus presenting the research questions.
1.1 Background
The traditional retail industry is facing great challenges. The first problem with traditional retail is the rising cost, including raw materials, logistics cost, fixed cost, staff salary, etc. Secondly, the problem may be the accelerated market changes and the production process to the extent that the supply chain adjustment cannot keep pace. Third, the problem may be homogeneous products and market saturation resulting in fierce competition (Deloitte, 2018). Also, the decline is likely to be exacerbated by COVID-19. In the UK, for example, 16,045 shops closed in 2020, and 200,000 job losses could be expected in the next year (Centre for Retail Research, 2020). In addition, traditional e-commerce is also facing a new situation. Whereas in the past, online shopping often meant simply setting up a web page, today's combination of cell phone ordering and social Internet use is creating new channels of purchase. The growth of e-commerce, social media, and entertainment internet has diversified the scenarios and ways consumers shop, socialize, and entertain themselves, thus triggering a change in the channels (Hansen & Tambo, 2011).
Omnichannel retail is the collaborative management of the many channels and consumer touchpoints available to optimize consumer experience and performance across all channels. It is based on the application of Internet technologies, including social media, location-based systems, and mobile Internet (Hüseyinoğlu et al., 2017). Companies use a number of Internet technologies such as cloud computing and big data to prompt individual channels to work together, providing a smoother shopping experience for consumers. This process breaks the limitations of time and space to some extent and provides a more comfortable shopping experience for consumers (Hüseyinoğlu et al., 2017). Omnichannel retailing optimizes each channel's engagement
with consumers as a whole to enrich the consumer experience and provide an integrated sales experience that combines the benefits of physical stores with the enhanced level of information provided by the e-store (Rigby, 2011). With advances in social media, mobile Internet and location-based technologies, the development of social, local and mobile commerce further integrates the concept of omnichannel retailing (Dorman, 2013).
Another important factor of omnichannel retailing is consumer behaviour. Within the context of consumer channel choices, researchers have become aware of the importance of consumer-centric retail strategies and believe that effective channel strategies should be tailored to individual needs (Payne & Frow, 2005). For traditional retailers, it is often challenging to provide more targeted goods and services to different consumers. Providers of user-based social groups, geolocation, and mobile commerce, on the other hand, can more easily reach users' personal information to provide more customized goods and services (Dirsehan & Çelik, 2011). At the same time, research has addressed the fact that consumer behaviour is influenced by context (Van Kenhoveet al., 1999). Cross-channel, cross-device differences (e.g., screen size, resolution, and interactivity), different contexts imply more consumer touchpoint interactions and different consumer behaviours. These factors reflect the different needs and purposes of different consumers in different consumption stages, and also mean that retailers need to understand consumer intention and attitudes to design their channel strategies (Wagner et al., 2020).
1.2 Problem Discussion
In the past, omnichannel retail studies have focused on the impact of channels on outcomes, cross-channel buyer behaviour, and the composition of inter-channel retail. (Verhoef et al., 2015). For the study of cross-channel shopping behaviour, the researchers examined the choice and use of channels at different shopping phases and the factors that influence the choice and use of channels (marketing, attributes, consumer characteristics, context, and social demography) (Ansari, 2008). However, there are limitations to the research. Firstly, researchers have been well informed about the benefits of diversifying physical stores to meet consumers' different needs, but few have realized that the diversity of online channels may have the same effect (Wagner et al., 2020). Some studies only showed that providing the same tone style and message
across different channels increases consumer retention and satisfaction (Shankar et al., 2011). Secondly, the researchers' study of electronic channels was limited to retailers' mobile apps and websites (Wagner et al., 2020). In fact, retailers' online stores are already widely available on social media, websites, and apps. However, the research on online alternative channels lacks the interaction between online channels and offline channels. Research suggested that offline channels may also play a related role in the mutual relationship among online channels (Rapp, 2015).
In a word, most of the past studies still focus on cross-channel, which can be seen as an extension of the multi-channel concept and fail to consider omnichannel as a whole to explore users' shopping behaviour. However, shopping behaviour is not simply switching between channels for consumers but facing a complete retail system built by the brand through social media, mobile commerce, and offline stores. The integration of retailers' channels essentially turns omnichannel retail into a vast and complex information system, including integrated logistics, warehousing and information. The point at which the retailer interacts with the consumer can be seen as the front end of the system. However, consumers determine the use of this system compared to other information systems. Consumers decide how and when to use omnichannel systems, while it is difficult for retailers to intervene and use handbook and training courses as they do with other information systems. As a result, retailers need to create a system that are efficient and easy to use. Therefore, retailers need to understand the consumer's acceptance and use of the existing system in order to meet the needs.
Neslin, et al. (2006) defined a channel as a consumer contact point or a medium through which a company interacts with consumers. The concept of interaction includes direct response advertising and one-way communications as television advertising. However, in Neslin's perception, where online shopping means using a retailer's website, the device represented by the computer can be seen as equivalent to the touchpoint represented by the website. However, online shopping is becoming increasingly diverse, including retailers' websites and mobile apps. Wagner et al (2020) defined the electronic channel as the category of devices that support network connection, such as computers and mobile phones, and defines the electronic channel touchpoint as the "specific digital shopping format", such as applications, in which transactions can be made. The definition considers the diverse presentation of multiple devices but does
not consider the fact that consumers may have different needs, goals, and contexts in different applications, even while using the same device. Researchers (Li & Kannan, 2014) argued that in the process of channel development and refinement, search, display, email, membership and recommendation sites should be defined as separate channels rather than as forms of online channels because they can facilitate one or more two-way communications or interactions, as can applications.
This study defines the channel as a specific shopping format controlled by retailers, including offline stores, different applications, and shopping websites. For touchpoint, this study refers to the format of one-way communication that can produce two-way communication or directly point to two-way communication. Two-way communication means that there is an interaction between the consumer and the retailer, including information and transactions, such as reviews and purchases. One-way communication directly aimed at two-way communication includes emails, text messages and other forms of advertisements containing product links, as well as advertisements directed at offline stores.
1.3 Purpose
The purpose of this study is to consider omnichannel retail as a complete commercial system, and then study how consumers accept and use this system. The authors use the classification method of social, local and mobile (SO-LO-MO) to try to incorporate more existing channels into the omnichannel retail system. In addition, the authors are also focusing on the combination of different channels. By understanding the determinants of consumers' attitudes and intentions towards omnichannel retail as a complete business system, researchers and retailers can further understand the advantages and disadvantages of the existing omnichannel retail system and improve channels and system in the future.
The study was conducted among mature consumers of the Swedish clothing industry. Sweden has a number of well-known clothing companies, a large clothing industry and a high level of development of the omnichannel, so it can be regarded as an ideal place for research. According to Volante’ s research (Volante, 2019), total sales for the Swedish fashion industry were SEK 237 billion in 2013. Between 2008 and 2018, consumer spending on clothes and footwear increased to almost SEK 88 billion by the
end of the period. And the greatest share of sales is generated in the retail and wholesale trades. The H & M Group is the leading fashion company. According to the most recent figures available, the group generated more than SEK 121 billion in June 2020 (Statista, 2020). Moreover, according to PWC (2017), Sweden ranks eighth in the world in the Omnichannel Development Index.
The target group of this study is the people who have the habit of frequent shopping and are skilled in using the omnichannel system. Since the researcher (Valentini et al., 2011) points out that there are apparent differences between the novices and mature users in the process of using the channel, and retailers should focus on the satisfaction of mature users to the selected channel, decision process evolution.
1.4 Research Questions
RQ: What conditions determine consumers' acceptance and use of omnichannel retailing in the SO-LO-MO environment.
2. Literature review
This chapter will provide a literature framework for the following topics: retail channel development, omnichannel retailing, consumer behaviour in omnichannel retailing, and SO-LO-MO (Social-Local -Mobile).
The development of technology, including telephone, television and the Internet, is continually adding more shopping channels for the retail industry, making it possible for consumers to purchase the goods and services they need in multiple ways. In the past, the relationship between channels was parallel, and the goods and information between channels were independent, which could be regarded as multiple unrelated stores. Now, consumers' expectation of switching between channels has prompted retailers trying to consolidate channels to develop omnichannel retailing. At the same time, the previous way of dividing channels, online and offline, may not apply to the Omnichannel retail system, so the concept of SO-LO-MO is introduced to divide channels in the framework of social, local and mobile. Besides, SO-LO-MO can provide context for consumer behaviour in order to understand consumer intention.
2.1 SO-LO-MO
The latest developments in omnichannel management are made possible by new technologies such as mobile phones, applications and location-based services (Piotrowicz and Cuthbertson, 2014). Mobile applications, localized applications and social media can affect consumer decision-making (Brynjolfsson et al., 2013). Omnichannel retailers can address product and service preferences by working more on social media, mobile location-based services and commercial services, and offering heterogeneity to consumers (Bell et al., 2013). Today, the wheels of retailing are the new online channels generated by the synergy of location-based mobile services regarding social media and commerce mobile services, which is the framework called Social-Local-Mobile (SO-LO-MO). (Yumurtacı et al., 2017).
SO-LO-MO's progress requires existing in-store retailers to rearrange their business strategies and processes to achieve a competitive advantage using technology
innovation (Frank & Lange, 2007). Combining today's mobile phone control with networking has generated a new method of familiar media after 2000, which has modified consumers’ behaviour (Blázquez, 2014).
2.1.1 Social
Through Yadav et al., (2013) social-based service is defined as the activities related to the rain exchange that takes place in a social environment received by computers in the personal social networks that are affected by them, where these activities correspond to the purchase phases of demand identification, pre-purchase, post-purchase and return. Social media has created a new pattern of communication in the market, as it allows consumers to exchange information among themselves and allows retailers to engage with consumers (Gatautis & Medziausiene, 2014). Because social media has become so accessible, more and more consumers tend to use social media as a reliable source of information about companies, brands, products and services (Zhou et al., 2013). Social media contain various sites offering video sharing like YouTube; social networks such as Facebook, Myspace; business sites as Linkedln; and business communities for example have eBay, Amazon, Alibaba. Twitter is also considered a powerful marketing tool for social media (Hollis, 2017). Typical marketing activities supported by social media are branding, loyalty, promotion and after-sales service (Karthik, 2015). Overall, social commerce may enhance a company's competitive advantage by influencing operational efficiencies, products, services, consumer relations, and revenues (Zhou et al., 2013).
2.1.2 Local
Location-based mobile services are applications that synthesize the concepts of geolocation and mobile services (Gao et al., 2018). Location-based mobile services aim for the location of consumers and are developed according to consumer preferences and demonstrated behaviour (Shankar & Balasubramanian, 2009). The process involves with actions like receiving real-time discounts and advertisements about the user's location presence (Mahatanankoon et al., 2005). By viewing the retailer's location on social media channels for example Facebook, Twitter, etc., allows users to benefit from local discounts, which is then assessed by local business management (Gatautis & Medziausiene, 2014).
The location-based service allows consumers to locate the nearest brick and mortar store through localized services, such behaviour is referred to as local business activity (Tsai et al., 2015). In-store consumers can benefit from both online and offline benefits by viewing and physically interacting with products before making a purchase decision. They are also able to access a broad range of product information and share experiences with their peers through social media and provide product information to online shoppers (Cao, 2014). Service providers activate location-based notices and linked promotions depending on consumers' social media activity, their location in the app and their shopping activity, and engage them online and on mobile devices (Duckham et al., 2007).
2.1.3 Mobile
M-commerce can be seen as a transaction that is initiated/completed using computer-mediated network campaigns with the help of mobile devices, in terms of ownership or use of goods and services (Jung, 2013). Identify mobile marketing opportunities that have the potential to effectively influence the consumer's physical location (Wibisurya, 2018). Mobile commerce applications have the advantages of mobility and wide coverage, so they have the opportunity to reach consumers no matter when or where they are (Tang, 2019). Retailers can offer customized products and greater convenience to consumers by launching mobile applications (Wibisurya, 2018). At present, mobile Internet consumers can access almost unlimited information, and they can access information and services about the commodities they want to know anytime and anywhere. Research shows that mobile buyers prefer to buy the same products regularly, and the combination with mobile technology can make shopping a regular activity (Wibisurya, 2018). In addition, mobile marketing practices improve the connection with retailers and increase consumer loyalty to the store network (Wibisurya, 2018). Although all mobile applications offer similar features, competition among retailers is fiercer in mobile app development (Varnali et al., 2011). Therefore, it is very important for consumers to create a seamless shopping experience through additional functions and the ability to carry out different activities through the app.
2.2 Evolution in retail
Although most consumers may not realize it, they are mostly surrounded by retailers in their daily lives. When people need to buy food, clothes, and daily necessities, they go
to a retailer's store. The development of technology and digitalization in the business process has paved the way for new channels, especially for retailers' sales channels. The distribution channel is the process of getting products and services to the consumer, while the retailer is the intermediary between the supplier/producer and the final consumer (Anderson et al., 1997). Through different distribution channels, goods are sold directly to consumers and profits are made through markups (Hudson, 2016). Whereas, most retailers do not manufacture the goods they sell, but use external suppliers to manufacture their products (Hudson, 2016). There are three main categories of products that retailers sell. These include food and durable goods (products with a long life), soft goods such as clothing or footwear (with a short life and use) and art, such as books, musical instruments, or gifts (Hudson, 2016).
2.2.1 Traditional Retail
To reach consumers, traditional retailers mainly use different forms of chain stores. The chain model offers many advantages to retailers. Economies of scale emerge due to the centralization of marketing and logistics departments. Typically, a retailer has an umbrella brand and different business models (Finne & Sivonen, 2008). Umbrella brands, also known as family brands, involve offering different store formats that sell many related products under one brand and involve the creation of significant brand equity (Bhasin, 2016). According to Berman and Evans (2012), there are three factors that distinguish the retail industry from other types of businesses. The first one is that the average sales transaction of retailers is lower than that of manufacturing. Therefore, it is necessary for retailers to carefully control the costs associated with each transaction. The second characteristic is that the end consumer makes many unplanned purchases when buying from the retailer's store. In fact, according to the theory of both authors, the consumer's retailer does not prepare any shopping list and makes many unplanned purchases. Finally, as many consumers prefer to see their purchases in person, they will choose to shop in physical stores rather than on websites. It is the physical channel of retail.
2.2.2 Online Channels
Retail has changed dramatically over the past three decades with the development of the Internet and comprehensive digitization (Verhoef et al., 2015). The most significant one is the rapid development of online channels. According to Statista (2020) in 2019,
approximately 1.92 billion individuals bought goods or services online. In the same year, e-commerce sales reached over US$3.5 trillion worldwide, and according to the latest calculations, e-commerce growth will accelerate even more in the future. The development of online shopping has prompted traditional retailers to add new sales channels, such as online shopping channels such as websites and apps. The introduction of the Internet into the consumer market is a new way for companies to communicate with consumers in an inexpensive and fast way (Peterson et al, 1997).
With the arrival of e-commerce in the 1990s, many traditional retailers responded by starting to sell online (Goldsmith & Flynn, 2005). The Internet has changed the communication between companies and consumers in many ways, such as communication, trading, and distribution. The Internet has also changed and blurred what the company offers, for example: whether it is a product or a service, the price offered, the context in which the purchase occurs, and the participants in the communication (Hagberg et al, 2016). In some specific retail markets, such as electronics, the online channel has become so dominant that it may be perceived as a disruptive development (Verhoef et al, 2015). In the mobile channel, consumers search, shop, and pay for products/services by using their devices, such as smartphones or tablets (Shankar et al, 2010). The mobile channel is easy to use and access because it is time and location-sensitive, portable, highly personal, and wireless, making it unique and engaging (Andrews et al, 2016). Mobile channels can help companies keep their target consumers updated. In the past, the use of mobile channel was not fashionable, but now it has become popular due to the improvement of technology (De Vries & Zhang, 2020). The emergence of e-commerce represents a huge opportunity and also raises the level of competition.
2.2.3 Multi-channel retailing
Different channels have different characteristics and advantages. The advantage of traditional stores is that consumers can instantly touch and perceive the goods. The advantage of online stores is to provide a variety of products, a variety of choices, and a price comparison, including a broader range of product information provided by merchants' consumers (Verhoef et al., 2015). In order to benefit from the different channels, many retailers have implemented multichannel strategies. These strategies in the beginning mainly involved decisions such as whether new channels should be added
to the existing portfolio (Verhoef et al., 2015). Initially, the focus on multi-channel strategies was mainly driven by the growth of online channels and how it affected the business and consumers using traditionally available channels such as stores and catalogues. Multi-channel consumer management as a means of designing, deploying, coordinating and evaluating channels to improve consumer value through effective consumer acquisition, loyalty and development. Subsequently, the research also involves the influence of channel increase and channel share transfer on incentive value, sales volume, consumer purchase behaviour and consumer loyalty (Neslin et al., 2006). Arguably, the focus on multi-channel has been driven primarily by the growth of online channels and the impact on companies and consumers by using traditional available channels such as stores and catalogues (Verhoef et al., 2015). However, organizations and researchers soon discovered that multi-channel brings the increase of sales channels and the integration of supply chains, cross-channel consumer management, and other issues. Further, social media and new retail channels in mobile expand the combination of traditional online and offline retail and mean the internal reform of the original multi-channel management system (Piotrowicz & Cuthbertson, 2014). Social media and mobile terminals further expand the shopping scene, which not only improves the consumer's shopping experience, but also increases the need for consumers to switch freely between different channels (Rigby, 2011).
2.3 Omnichannel retailing
The term "omnichannel retail" first appeared in a 2009 design study by IDC's Global Retail Insight Research division (Ortis & Casoli, 2009). Omnichannel has been a buzzword ever since the advent of omnichannel, but it was not until the advent of information and communication technologies (ICT) that omnichannel moved from concept to reality. Communications technologies such as mobile devices, in-store technology, augmented reality, location-based services and so on, are beginning to emerge both online and offline, bringing all retail channels together to provide a seamless and integrated experience for consumers and a valuable tool for retailers to leverage.
The main difference between omnichannel marketing and multi-channel marketing is in corporate strategy and consumer behaviour (Berman & Thelen, 2018). Differences in corporate strategy are mainly reflected in the company's channel-based goals, the uniformity of data across devices and channels, the difference between physical stores
and online stores, the use of simple and multiple touchpoints, and the unification of inventory databases across channels. Differences based on consumer behaviour include the design of the consumer's purchase journey, the location of the purchase and the location of the pickup and return, and the level of effort required for the consumer to move across channels and devices. The vast difference between multi-channel marketing and omnichannel marketing indicates the complexity and multidimensional nature of omnichannel marketing (Berman & Thelen, 2018). The emergence of new digital channels, particularly mobile, has led to another disruptive change in the retail environment (Rigby, 2011). Similar to what we have seen in online channel development, researchers have studied the impact of using mobile channels on performance (Xu et al., 2014). The new channels created by social and mobile bring not only more touchpoints with consumers, but more importantly, closer connections between channels. For consumers, the boundaries of shopping channels are beginning to overlap or even disappear, not only retailers are integrating and designing multiple channels, but also because the Internet itself is merging and creating properties (Brynjolfsson et al., 2013). People can perform seamless switching channels during the search and purchase, and companies are difficult or almost impossible to control them (Verhoef et al., 2007). Shoppers now often search stores for information, as well as on their mobile devices to get more information about deals and possibly find more attractive prices (Hansen & Tambo, 2011).
2.3.1 Stage of maturity
Cao and Li (2015) categorized cross-channel integration into four levels: silo, minimal integration, moderate integration, and full integration. Strang (2013) differentiated among four levels in the multi-channel marketing to omnichannel marketing transition: crawl, walk, walk to run and run to sprint. Although there are different maturity standards, the maturity of omnichannel-retail can be roughly divided into four stages. In the first stage, different channels differ in terms of price, brand, category and service level. In the second stage, commodity marketing and inventory information are consistent, partially realizing the connection between online and offline purchases and returns. In the third stage, the retailer fully realizes the seamless switch between channels of purchase, return and other behaviours. In the fourth stage, service, promotion, price, loyalty program, logistics, inventory, incentive mechanism and other factors are consistent, and there are interaction and integration between all channels.
2.3.2 A consumer-focused strategy
At present, through our research literature, it is found that most omnichannel studies are from the perspective of retailers. This section focuses on how consumers have evolved to embrace omnichannel and understand the impact of consumer behaviour in an omnichannel retail environment.
With the explosion in the speed of omnichannel development, consumer behaviour has taken a considerable leap from the traditional retail era. In order to promote omnichannel retail, retailers need to learn how to compete, complement and learn from e-commerce channels in the process. Retailers began to learn to design omnichannel business processes to put consumers at the centre of their business and to provide a complete shopping experience. At the same time, products and promotions should not be specific to a particular channel but should be consistent across all channels (Verhoef et al., 2007).
The retailer started to aware that brand development needs to integrate the advantages of physical stores with the information-rich online shopping platform, rather than see e-commerce as a threat to offline retail networks. In 2009, Kourouthanassis (2017) conducted a study on the impact of in-store retail technology on the consumer experience, showing that the way retail technology is used in stores significantly impacts the consumer's in-store shopping experience. Then, they introduced a decision support system called "On the Go"， and achieved positive results.
The distinction between retail in offline stores and online retail is disappearing (Brynjolfsson, 2013). Only advanced technologies on mobile phones and other devices combine touch and feel information in the physical world with online content, creating an omnichannel environment. By using mobile price comparison websites, consumers can be aware of the difference in price and the quality of goods, thus providing reverse information to retailers. Retailers thus have an essential evaluation of the price and improve consumers' trust and patronage to stores. When consumers have more multi-channel sensing, there will be an increase in cross-multi-channel purchases (Chiu, 2011). However, regardless of the channel, consumers want a consistent, unified and integrated service or experience. However, it does not seem to be enough to offer consumers multiple channels. What matters is how to achieve synergies between online
and offline and the ability to reach consumers. The Internet is universal to consumers, but consumers need to use and try it is the main. In the context of consumer behaviour, the subjective will is an essential determinant of consumers' acceptance of omnichannel retail. Consumers prefer social networks. As long as they believe in the opinions of family members, friends, netizens, opinion leaders and business people, they will be more willing to accept and use omnichannel sales (Yan, 2019).
Omnichannel strategies allow consumers to shop across channels anytime, anywhere. This strategy provides consumers with a unique, complete and seamless shopping experience and removes barriers between various channels. As technology advances, consumers are using more devices besides computers, such as smartphones and tablets. For example, they can use their devices to search, compare products, ask for advice, or find cheaper alternatives while shopping, taking advantage of each channel. Finally, consumers can then easily switch between different retail channels (online and offline) within the same retailer or a competitor.
2.4 SO-LO-MO connection with Omnichannel
The combination of today's mobile subscriptions and pocket-size Internet use has created a new form of digital media that has changed consumer behaviour (Burton & Soboleva, 2011). Therefore, integration of social media, consumer reviews, personalization of physical shopping behaviour, use of in-store technological advances, and integration of social and local business activities are important measures to implement omnichannel retail (Burton & Soboleva, 2011).
IBM (2013) based on this proposed broad channel marketing, pricing and assortment display, online ordering to stores, integration of mobile apps and social media, channel integration of consumer loyalty programs, display formats for showcasing products and service chat as omnichannel retailing measures.
As omnichannel shopping behaviour, consumers compare prices or download coupons via mobile apps or websites; they shop online or use mobile apps and take the goods in physical stores; and they use in-store digital tools and devices, including interactive catalogues, price checkers, or tablets (Sopadjieva et al., 2017).
SO-LO-MO consumers who choose omnichannel shopping might be interested in retailers' mobile applications, and they might trust and actively search for user-generated content information. Research observed that consumers’ consumption of user-generated content, for example, consumers' behaviour of searching for content based on their motivations, has a positive effect on their user-generated content creation (Daugherty et al., 2008). Consumers who trust user-generated content services and information may be inclined to use user content creation services (Daugherty, Eastin & Bright, 2008). Kang (2018) showed that omnichannel consumers' "showrooming" and "webrooming " positively influence the willingness to create user-generated content. 2.4.1 Showrooming and webrooming
As omnichannel experiences, showrooming and webrooming are the most common (Kang, 2018). Showrooming refers to the behaviour of consumers who research products offline, seek relevant information, while searching on their mobile devices to get more information about offers, get reasonable prices, and eventually buy products from rival online retailers online or on their mobile devices (Kang, 2018). In contrast, webrooming, which refers to the behaviour of consumers who research products online or on their mobile devices to find information about products, but ultimately purchase them offline (Kang, 2018). It is particularly prominent among millennial consumers (Sopadjieva et al., 2017). According to research, approximately 73% are omnichannel shoppers, 20% are store-only shoppers, and 7% are online only shoppers. Compared to consumers using a single channel, omnichannel consumers spend an average of 10% more online and 4% more in brick-and-mortar stores (Sopadjieva et al., 2017). Consumers who consume more than four channels spend on average 9% more in physical stores than those who use a single channel (Sopadjieva et al., 2017). In addition, omnichannel consumers are more likely to recommend specific products and brands to others and share reviews with others than consumers who use a single channel (Sopadjieva et al., 2017). More than 86% of shoppers say that product reviews are an important resource for them before making a purchase (PowerReviews, 2019). Therefore, in order to develop a successful omnichannel strategy, retailers must understand consumers' perceived determinants of "showrooming" and "webrooming" as well as their intentions for omnichannel shopping and product review sharing. 2.4.2 The use of SO-LO-MO
Integrating social media platforms, geolocation technology and mobile commerce/marketing tools is the leading digital media strategy to create a seamless consumer journey and generate a cohesive brand. According to Marketing Sherpa (2019), 65% of millennials use social media as their preferred channels of engagement with retailers. The popularity of GPS makes mobile devices allow social media designers to promote location push through location data (Kang, 2019). While the use of SO-LO-MO service is easy to make consumers worry about information privacy, their products can use consumers' location and shopping time data to formulate their experience on mobile devices (Kang, 2019).
The application of SO-LO-MO is common in different usage areas, including messaging, social, payment, and platform sales (Parks, 2016). For example, Instagram and Nike have integrated SO-LO-MO standards into location-based social media platforms and their retail and marketing practices to gain more loyal consumers (Parks, 2016). The initial target consumers of the SO-LO-MO app are young, urban, educated, high-income consumers, who may influence the awareness of other consumer focus groups to use the SO-LO-MO app (Parks, 2016). Therefore, in the omnichannel era, understanding the perceptions and intentions of SO-LO-MO consumers who have a LO-MO experience through mobile apps is essential for retailers to apply the SO-LO-MO standards to their omnichannel marketing strategies (Kang, 2019).
2.5 Consumer behaviour
The main difference between omnichannel marketing and multi-channel marketing lies in corporate strategy and consumer behaviour (Berman & Thelen, 2018). On one hand, the process of channel integration could be done by the consumer. On the other hand, it could be controlled by the retailers (Berman & Thelen, 2018). Client-side channel integration reflects consumers' ability to visit the store online, verify product reviews, and return items in the store, regardless of where they purchased them. Retailers might not actually want to prompt consumers with such activity, which mostly driven by the gumption of some consumers. Activities controlled by retailers include consumer engagement across all channels, integration of pricing and inventory data, and product consistency across all channels. For consumer behaviour in different channels, studies mainly focus on consumer behaviour patterns, such as channel migration and channel use, as well as channel selection at different stages (Verhoef, 2007). The study also explores multi-channel consumer segmentation and the different factors that drive
channel adoption, selection, and use, including marketing, channel attributes, consumer relationship characteristics, psychology, and sociodemographic (Asim et al., 2008). 2.5.1 Attitudes of consumer toward technology in the omnichannel retailing
Due to technological progress and subsequent channel expansion lead to more consumer contact points. Consumers' shopping intention and expectations are also changing. There is a new generation of multi-device, multi-screen consumers who are more informed and need Omnichannel retailers. The main attitudes involve two aspects: 1) different devices 2) different stages of shopping.
2.5.1.1 Different devices
In terms of online shopping, GWI (2017) surveyed the use of device for online consumers and stated that 49% of consumers globally shopped online through a PC or laptop, 51% shopped online through a smartphone, and 9% shopped online through a tablet. The expanding technology available to consumers for shopping needs retailers to realize the characteristics of the devices that consumers use to shop online and the electronic channels that influence these decisions (Rapp et al., 2015). Differences between devices, including screen size, resolution, and interactivity, could influence consumer responses to marketing content, suggesting that interfaces can influence consumer responses to the same content (McLean et al., 2018). The results show that online shopping varies by channel, so online retailers must provide sufficient contact by adjusting the consumer's Internet device. At the same time, understanding at what situation consumers use various online shopping devices is crucial for retailers to meet consumer needs through appropriate omnichannel retailing (Zhang et al., 2010). In general, there has been little research on the impact of different digital shopping methods, with most of the research focusing on the comparing of mobile apps and websites. This approach no longer works in today's diversified channel environment. It is important to note that a study of consumer ratings for online shopping sites alone cannot differentiate whether consumers are gradually using alternating digital channels or digital touchpoints. First of all, different channels represent different consumer needs, corresponding to the attributes and functions of the device, including the form of commodity information display, the size of the device, the size of the screen, as well as personal files, sharing, purchase and other functions. At the same time, retailers may
need to assess online purchases based on the character of technical facilities and based on situational impact (Wagner et al., 2020).
2.5.1.2 Different stages of shopping
Technology and mobility bring another problem that channel strategies adopted by shoppers at different stages of shopping are different. During search, purchase and post-sales stages of shopping, consumers' use and attitudes towards channels vary. Also, during the whole process, consumers usually do not revert all interactions to the same channel (Venkatesan et al., 2007). A typical situation might be that a consumer would collect information in one channel and purchase in another. For example, goods are selected in stores and purchased on the Internet, or are purchased in search and physical stores (Verhoef et al., 2007). The reasons for this phenomenon may be as follows: firstly, the omnichannel retail strategy of retailers makes the commodity information of different channels gradually unified, which means that there will be no difference in quality, model and other aspects of goods purchased through different channels. Secondly, retailers design specific channel advantages for some channels, such as discounts in online stores. Thirdly, the channel strategy of omnichannel retail leads to insufficient channel locking, and consumers can change channels according to their own will (Homburg et al., 2017). Early studies indicate that channel integration and synergies can have both positive and negative effects. The negative impact may be reflected in insufficient channel locking, competition among channels, etc. (Neslin et al., 2006). However, recent studies show that the positive impact of channel synergy may be more significant, mainly reflected in the growth of sales (Cao & Li, 2015), the reduction of perceived risk, the improvement of online store quality, etc. (Herhausen et al., 2015). It is worth noting that researchers have recognized the significant impact of mobile channel development on the consumer journey. Mobile devices are likely to significantly impact the pre-purchase phase than the purchase or post-purchase phase. Especially in showrooms, mobile devices have a certain catalytic effect on the shopping process of physical stores (Rapp et al., 2015). Besides, consumer habits and personal characteristics, such as demographic and psychological factors, influence the selection of interaction sequences along the consumer journey (Yu et al., 2011).
Piotrowicz and Cuthbertson (2014) believe that consumers want to obtain consistent, unified and integrated services or experience no matter what channel they use. They
want to seamlessly switch between physical stores, online stores and mobile stores based on their preferences, current conditions, time of day or product category.
Because of technology and mobility, shoppers will always be in one or more channels at the same time, rather than using the same channel throughout. In doing so, shoppers flexibly use their own devices to search, evaluate products, seek guidance or find alternatives to take advantage of the benefits each channel offers. Also, omnichannel consumers generally consider that they understand more about sales than salespeople do and that they have more control over what happens to the sales (Rippe et al., 2015). 2.5.2 Consumers' motivation for choosing channels
Research interest in multi-channel shopping has also been focused on consumers' motivations for choosing channels. There are two directions for this kind of research. The first is mainly based on the retailer's transaction data. The second is psychological factors based on channels of use (Park & Lee, 2017).
Some studies use retailer data to analyse consumers’ channel choice behaviour. Valentini et al. (2011) believes that the development of new channels promotes the adoption of channels by consumers, and consumers' decision-making on channel selection also develops. Therefore, providers should make a distinction between established channel users and new channel users. Thomas and Sullivan (2005) explain channel selection behaviour in terms of offline retail stores provided by retailers, Internet shopping and catalogue prices, product categories, distance to the nearest retail store, expenses for direct marketing communications and previous purchases. Ansari (2008) proposed the sociodemographic characteristics of consumers for example, age, gender, and number of children; user experience like channel experience, number of previous purchases, interval between the most recent purchase, frequency of online purchases; communication efforts as direct and interactive effects of email or catalogues; and temporal trends such as seasonality and vacation time, may influence consumers' channel choices. Venkatesan et al. (2007) researched a clothing retailer with three different channels, full-price physical stores, discount physical stores and websites, and studied the behaviour of consumers choosing retail channels.
The research on psychological factors based on channels of use mainly uses technology acceptance model and extension models. Frasquet et al. (2015) analysed the driving forces of consumers' choice of retail channels from the perspective of external and
intrinsic motivations by using the Extended Technology Acceptance Model. According to research, consumers choose channels depending on their usefulness, safety, time issues, ease of use, Internet use and hedonistic tendencies. This study emphasizes the psychological motivations of consumers in channel selection to design strategies that can enhance consumer loyalty.
Similarly, researchers used an extension of the extended Unified Theory of Technology Acceptance and Use (UAUT2) model, which aims to recognize the drivers of technology acceptance and use in the shopping process (Venkatesh et al., 2012). Under UTAUT2, consumers' intention to accept and use ICT is influenced by seven factors: expected performance, expected workload, social influence, convenience, hedonic motivation, price value and habits. The authors further expanded to include two new factors: personal innovation and perceived security (Juaneda-Ayensa et al., 2016). Finally, the authors found that consumer's intention to purchase in omnichannel stores was affected by their innovation ability, expected workload and expected performance. However, habits, hedonic motivation, social influence and perceived safety do not affect omnichannel buying intentions (Juaneda-Ayensa et al., 2016).
2.6 Theoretical framework
While e-commerce and multi-retail are beginning to focus more on sales and branding, information systems remain an essential element of multi-channel retail and can provide a detailed framework for understanding business and technological change (Hansen & Tambo, 2011). In the theoretical framework of this study, the authors applied the extension of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) model (Venkatesh et al., 2012). The UTAUT2 model tried to identify the drivers of technology acceptance and use during the shopping process with purchasing in the omnichannel retailing. The authors use the UTAUT2 model since it offered an explanation for acceptance and use of ICT and from a consumer’s perspective (Venkatesh et al., 2012). The UTAUT2 model can be seen as the extension of the original technology acceptance model (TAM). It was combined with eight theoretical models taken from sociological and psychological theories used in the literature on behaviour, namely theory of reasoned action, technology acceptance model, motivational model, theory of planned behaviour, a combined theory of planned behaviour/technology acceptance model, model of personal computer use, diffusion of innovations theory, and social cognitive theory (Venkatesh et al., 2003). In
omnichannel retailing, UTAUT2 provides the understanding of consumers' attitudes toward technology and how attitudes then influence purchasing intention in the shopping journey.
The technology acceptance model was first offered by Davis (1989). Davis (1989) stated that the initial purpose of the technology acceptance model was to explain the decisive factors of computer-wide acceptance and how the digital system was used. As Davis (1989) claimed, behavioural intention is a factor that leads people to use the technology, and the behavioural intention (BI) is influenced by the attitude (A), which can be seen as the general impression of the technology.
The model suggests that when a new technology was showed to users, several factors affected the users’ intention about how and when they will use it. Davis defined perceived usefulness (PU) as the degree to which a person believes that using a particular system would enhance his or her job performance. And perceived ease-of-use (PEOU) was defined as the degree to which a person believes that using a particular system would be free from effort (Davis, 1989).
TAM captures external motivation through the usefulness construct of perception because it helps with the instrumental nature of the digital system and improves the performance (Davis, 1989). TAM captures intrinsic motivation through perceived accessibility structures (Davis, 1989). In this study, the authors define perceived usefulness as a belief that online channels can improve the efficiency of the shopping process. Perceived usefulness is mostly mean to describe attitudes or intentions to purchase from online channels. In contrast to the usefulness of the process results, perceived ease of use involves the work that invest in the shopping journey. The ease of use of the online channel could be defined as how consumers feel that little effort is required to use the Internet to make purchases, even if consumers have learned to browse corporate webpages for information. Rose et al (2012) concluded that the ease of use in online shopping remains to be an essential factor influencing consumers' online purchasing behaviour and attitudes.
Figure 1: The TAM model (Davis, 1989)
The simplicity and predictive power of TAM contributes, but limitation also remains. Other variables may also affect the use and acceptance of the technology. The developers of the TAM model acknowledge this limitation by proposing other variables to improve the understanding of behaviour (Venkatesh et al. 2003). So the authors also adopted the model of UTAUT2, in which consumers' intention to accept and use ICT could be affected by five other factors: social influence, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivations, price value, and habit (Venkatesh et al. 2012).
Performance expectancy is defined as the extent to which different channels or technologies are used in the shopping process to offer consumers with benefits when purchasing products (Venkatesh et al., 2012). Performance expectancy corresponds to perceived usefulness in TAM.
Effort expectancy is the level of ease with different channels used by consumers the shopping process, corresponding to perceived ease of use in the TAM. The effort expectancy is vital in voluntary and mandatory use and positively influences purchase intention (Venkatesh et al., 2012).
Social influence is defined as how individuals adjust their behaviour to meet the requirements in the society (Kelman, 1958). In terms of shopping behaviour, consumers’ behaviour is affected by how they consider others perceive them as a consequence of having used the technology and positively influence purchase intention (Venkatesh et al., 2012).
Habits are defined as the degree to which consumers are inclined to behave automatically as a result of learning. In many studies, this concept has been identified
as a indicator of technology use and directly affects purchasing intention (Venkatesh et al., 2012).
The extended model of the TAM model contains perceived enjoyment, which is seen as part of intrinsic motivation. Perceived enjoyment refers to the pleasure or pleasure generated by consumers using technology. In omnichannel retailing, perceived enjoyment is defined as the extent to which shopping using online channels is inherently fun and pleasurable (Verhoef et al., 2007). In UTAUT2, Venkatesh (2003) used hedonic motivation to describe perceived enjoyment. Research shows that consumers use different channels in the shopping process to maximize value acquisition with relatively low cost, which reflects in two aspects: utilitarianism and hedonism. Utilitarianism is generally regarded as part of perceived usefulness in the literature of technology acceptance models, while hedonism is a different influencing factor (Venkatesh, 2003). Previous studies have stated that perceived enjoyment influences the attractiveness of Internet purchases (Verhoef et al., 2007) and attitudes towards online channels (Childers et al., 2001) and can have a significant impact on acceptance and purchase intentions in ICT (Thong et al., 2006).
Perceived security can be defined as a consumer's perception of omnichannel companies' technology policies that include preconditions for information security, such as authentication, protection, authentication or encryption (Kim et al., 2008). Perceived security of online channels means that people believe the Internet is a safe choice for sending personal information. The overall utility of a shopping channel is influenced by its perceived security, which can be seen as an external incentive for shoppers to obtain secure returns when using channels that are perceived to be more secure (Alba et al., 1997). One example might be the financial risk of consumers making online purchases because of concerns about using credit cards and personal data over the Internet. Therefore, when people's awareness of safety is improved, the proportion and intention of purchasing through various channels may be affected (Frasquet et al., 2015).
Figure 2: Extending the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (Venkatesh, 2012)
Also, Wixom and Todd (2005) established an integrated model to differentiates beliefs and attitudes with the system from beliefs and attitudes about using the system. They tried to develop the theoretical logic that links user satisfaction and technology acceptance.
Figure 3: The Proposed Integrated Research Model (Wixom & Todd 2005)
User satisfaction and technology acceptance are two main streams of research into the use of information systems (Wixom & Todd, 2005). User satisfaction relates to the
design attributes of both system and information, such as system reliability and information integrity. The technology acceptance model, on the other hand, combines behaviour with the use and ease of use of the context. Combining the two methods can effectively enhance the predictive value of user satisfaction and the practicability of technology acceptance. The model is based on the theory of rational action (TRA), which states that relationships will be predictive of behaviour when the attitude and belief factors to be explained in terms of time, target, and context (Ajzen & Fishbein, 2005). In the context of ICT, beliefs about using the system to carry out specific tasks will be determined by attitudes toward the system itself, and these beliefs will indirectly influence people's attitudes toward its use. In other words, users' satisfaction with the information provided by the system and with the system itself will affect the perception of usefulness. At the same time, the effective interaction between users and the system, that is, the satisfaction with the system, will also affect the satisfaction with the information provided by the system (Wixom & Todd, 2005). In this paper's assumption, the clear indicators provided by user satisfaction may be easier to collect and refine in the interview process and can also be used as codes for framework construction. Technology acceptance model is widely used to study consumer behaviour in e-commerce (Hernández et al., 2010). As mentioned, retailers are beginning to incorporate more electronics into their physical stores. Also, commodity information including logistics, inventory, and shopping journey are linked together through the information system. The omnichannel retail system is built on the information system, which means that the consumer behaviour in channels can be studied from the perspective of technology acceptance. Although omnichannel retailing has been tied together by digital tools, it cannot be fully regarded as an ICT system because retailing involves not only the transfer of information, but also the transfer of money and goods. This paper focuses more on consumer behaviour and marketing in omnichannel retail than on supply chains, including logistics and warehousing. In other words, the authors focus more on the use of information and systems on the consumer side than on the retailer's supply chain. At the same time, the consumer behaviour in this paper mainly refers to how consumers comprehensively use channels to meet their shopping needs. Therefore, it is appropriate to apply TAM in this study.
3. Method
This chapter explains the research philosophy of this study and then introduce the approaches and design. In the last part, the authors also stated ethical consideration and integrity assessment.
3.1 Research philosophy
The standard view of "epistemology" is that knowledge needs to be proven (Saunders, 2009). The research process is essential because knowledge itself is essential, and the process of research is a necessary condition for understanding knowledge itself (Smith, 2008).
Philosophy of inquiry is a general term relating to the development of knowledge and its nature of knowledge (Saunders, 2009). The philosophical research adopted by the researcher contains assumptions about the way the world is viewed throughout the research process, which will support the researcher's choice of research strategies and methods and can guide the direction of research (Saunders, 2009). According to Saunders (2009), there are three different philosophies of epistemology: positivism, realism and interpretivism. Of the three research philosophies, interpretivist philosophy normally focuses on the meaning and uses a variety of methods to show different issues of the problem without a clear answer (Saunders,2009). In order to establish the logic of the research and method in this paper, Researchers choose Interpretivist.
Researchers use the Interpretivist method to pay more attention to the understanding of human behaviour, and in the case of business and market research, the views of Interpretivist are very suitable (Saunders, 2009). In addition, interpretive views explain a form of situational understanding, i.e., knowledge is usually a simple expression (Saunders, 2009). In the interview, respondents in all channels problems related to their thoughts, ideas could be because of the different environment, but through the interviews with the openness of communication between people and people, can be more in-depth communication with respondents, through the exploration of respondents from different under different environment, explains philosophy provides such choice.
The central idea of "ontology" is that social objects can be viewed as neutral objects with external reality for social participants (Bryman&Bell, 2007). This philosophical position is concerned with whether a social entity is an object that exists independently of the social actor or whether the social entity is a social structure created by the actor within it that cannot exist on its own (Bryman&Bell, 2007).
There are two main views of ontology: The objectivist perspective and the Subjectivist perspective. The objectivist perspective holds that social phenomena are independent of social actors (Bryman&Bell, 2007). The subjectivist perspective is created by the perception and subsequent behaviour of social actors (Bryman&Bell, 2007). In this paper, the authors take a subjectivist view because consumer behaviour and habits change as a result of continuous strategic changes by Omnichannel retailers.
3.2 Research approach and design
This research uses qualitative research. Based on the above considerations, the authors put the main body on the consumer group who buys clothing. In order to understand the consumer's understanding of omnichannel sales when buying clothing, we determined the research method to be interviewed. By exploring the real shopping experience of consumers, the authors can understand the differences between the Omnichannel products that retailers provide to consumers, and then affect the shopping behaviour of consumers.
3.2.1 Literature search
After determining the research field of the authors master's thesis, the authors conducted an in-depth literature exploration.
First, determine the impact and scope of the investigation of omnichannel sales. Secondly, in order to obtain better in-depth knowledge, the authors must find relevant literature. The authors conducted a major literature search using keywords and key phrases describing the nature of the subject of this paper. The research data mainly includes the library databases of Jönköping University and Google Scholar. By searching for the following terms: “omnichannel retailing”, “the consumer’s behaviour related to omnichannel”, “social, local, mobile related to omnichannel”, “omnichannel retailing in clothes industry”.
In order to determine the effectiveness of related resources, the authors evaluated and screened the resources. The initial search produced a large number of theoretical articles
