The Impact Mechanism of Consumers’ Online Channel Transfer Intention in Omni-channel Retail

Abstract

As a new and cheaper market tool, online channels allow brands to connect more deeply with consumers, breaking the constraints of time and space. Nowadays, the proportion of revenue from online channels is increasing, and brands are willing to invest more and more in online channels. Besides, entrepreneurs find that online channels can reduce cost and manual problems. Therefore, increasing numbers of brands find out the importance of the online channels, such as establishing platforms and logistics network. As a result, promoting consumers to transfer from offline channels to online channels has become a key issue. Through previous research and interviews, this paper aims at studying the influencing factors of consumers' online channel transfer intention in omni-channel retail. Data were obtained from 239 users having transfer behavior and analyzed by structural equation modeling. The results show that through the "stimuli -body -response" (S-O-R) model, two aspects of body perceptions (perceived value and immersive experience) have positive effects on the response (online channel transfer intention). Furthermore, the results show that customer loyalty and customer care as the external stimuli also have positive effects on online channel transfer intention both directly and through perceived value and immersive experience.