Managing customer preferences in a multi‐channel environment using Web services

Abstract

The technology impact on the various functions in retailing has been increasing. As the number of channels for a retailer increases, managing the dynamics of customer behaviour in the rapidly emerging multi‐channel environment becomes complex. Building and retaining a long‐term association with customers require that relationship management applications should be able to accommodate the various channels. Multi‐channel customers are the most valuable customers and hence multi‐channel integration would improve customer loyalty and retention. This paper considers the impact of Web services on multi‐channel integration, the customer decision‐making process and the implications of effectively managing buyer behaviour for competitive advantage. The role of Web services is explored with the help of a few customer purchase scenarios.

Evaluating channel performance in multi-channel environments

“…More and more companies become multi-channel operators (Ganesh, 2004;Coelho et al, 2003). Therefore, managers need metrics that help them assess the performance of each individual sales channel, as well as the interrelationships among the different sales channels in their portfolio.…”

What kind of marketing distribution mix can maximize revenues: The wholesaler travel agencies' perspective?

“…This study provides tips that inspire firms to make the right decisions in designing a marketing channel mix that ensures coverage as well as profitability (Bennett & Lai, 2005;Choi & Kimes, 2002;Ganesh, 2004;Pearce, 2002Pearce, , 2008Pearce & Taniguchi, 2008). The optimal marketing channel mix is built with maximum revenue objectives, whereby no objective is built in vain.…”

“…There ironically appears to be no empirical or theoretical development of the optimal marketing distribution mix for the travel agency industry, as it is done only for other industries (Coelho & Easingwood, 2005, 2008Cooper, Wakefield, & Tanner, 2006; in the literature. Most of those related and empirical studies on marketing distribution mix are constructed only from the customers' perspective (Ganesh, 2004;Gensler et al, 2007;Gupta, Su, & Walter, 2004;Neslin et al, 2006;Nicholson, Clarke, & Blakemore, 2002;Pearce & Schott, 2005;Vehoef & Donkers, 2005) and from the retailers' perspective (Barlow, Siddiqui, & Mannion, 2004), but they fail to explore how wholesaler travel agency practitioners perceive and use different marketing distribution channels. Pearce (2008) presents a generalized tourism distribution model emphasizing the needs of tourists and the functions required to meet them, but the research lacks effective evaluation systems of a marketing distribution mix for travel wholesalers' perspective in order to allocate appropriate company resources and make correct strategic decisions.…”

Determinants of Shopping Behavior of Urban Consumers

“…Multichannel customers are the most valuable customers, and hence multichannel integration would improve customer loyalty and retention. Effective customer relationships in multichannel retailing have a significant impact on the customer decision-making process and driving buyer behavior in a competitive marketplace (Ganesh 2004). Thus, a meticulously designed multichannel setup enables consumers to examine goods at one channel, buy them at another channel, and finally pick them up at a third channel.…”