Mobile-assisted ‘Showroomers’: Understanding their purchase journey and personalities
‘Mobile-assisted showrooming’ has become a popular shopping practice due to the shift from multi- to omnichannel environments, advances in information technologies, and changing consumer behaviour. This is when consumers research and evaluate products offline, then purchase online using mobile technology while inside brick-and-mortar stores.
Since mobile-assisted shoppers would rather use their phones as shopping assistants than through consulting with a salesperson, this trend challenges brick-and-mortar retailers’ efforts to encourage in-store purchases. Without a firm understanding of mobile-assisted shoppers’ showrooming behaviours, it is difficult for retailers to strategically target this group of consumers.
Previous research has called for the use of qualitative research to perform an in-depth analysis of showrooming behaviour and build further theoretical knowledge on the area. This paper addresses the under-researched phenomenon of mobile-assisted showrooming. Specifically, it explores the drivers of mobile-assisted showroomers’ behaviour, their mobile channel interactions during their in-store visit, and the four unique personas of mobile-assisted showroomers.
Method and sample
Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with 31 showroomers (N=31) based in urban Queensland, Australia, who were recruited using purposive, snowball sampling where initial participants referred other showroomers with similar characteristics. The interviews consisted of three sections, focusing on showrooming motivations, in-store online shopping practices, and the use of mobile devices during in-store shopping journeys.
Data was audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were then exported to MAXQDA, a qualitative data analysis software platform, to perform thematic analysis on the raw data. The analysis consisted of three phases: (1) open coding to identify relevant concepts based on participants’ responses, (2) axial coding to contextualise the open codes into pre-defined codes from literature, and (3) selective coding to group axial codes into broader themes.
Key findings
- Showrooming is an integral part of many consumers’ purchase journey due to its emotional benefits, like making them feel savvy, smart, and assured. They also enjoy showrooming for its financial utility, like finding the best value-for-time-and-money deal. Other motivations include the convenience of smartphones and shopping productivity.
- Both physical and mobile channels are integrated in showroomers’ purchase journey. In the store, they physically touch, feel, and try out products, while using smartphones to search for third-party product information and reviews or for online deals. If there is any concern, showroomers prefer contacting a family member or friend rather than interacting with sales staff.
- Different contextual factors influence mobile-assisted showrooming behaviour. Consumer-related factors include shoppers’ gender and personalities. Product-related factors concern product categories and the risks associated with them; for instance, consumers would rather experience electronics and fashion products in-store. Finally, shopping-related factors include consumers-staff interactions and the perception of shopping stress. In fact, most participants feel discomfort when interacting with a salesperson, especially when they lack product knowledge or pressure consumers to purchase.
- Four unique personas emerged from the study. Undaunted Treasure Hunters are open, non-discrete, fearless online discount seekers without caring about being observed by sales staff. Frugal Experience Seekers are price-conscious who also greatly consider the shopping experience and convenience, as they isolate themselves in a personalised hybrid product experience. Organised Jugglers are the most tech-savvy and can balance the time costs, financial benefits, and the overall brick-and-mortar experience to engage in showrooming; these shoppers minimise the time spent searching for product information in-store. Finally, Friendly Diplomats are the most easy-going and discreet, who prefer to engage with one commerce channel at a time rather than a simultaneously hybrid experience and has a greater chance of interacting with sales staff.
Recommendations
As smartphones have become an integral part of consumers’ shopping experience, retailers should create a seamless omnichannel shopping experience that integrates different channels. This might involve implementing mobile shopper marketing and location-based technologies to engage shoppers. Retailers could also offer additional product information or competitive discounts and offers to entice in-store interactions.
This research also explores the reasons shoppers are reluctant to engage with sales staff, which are lack of trust or shopping stress and discomfort from being judged. These prompt retailers to reassess the role of sales staff in an omnichannel environment in which technologies are deeply intertwined with the shopping process. Staff training and innovative integrations of physical and online channels are thus essential to enhance the overall in-store journey of mobile-assisted showroomers.
Finally, the research identifies the four showroomer personas, which provide retailers with nuanced insights into how each type of consumers shops differently. Hence, managers should adapt their marketing tactics to segment and target these personas separately, based on their preferences of price, customer service, and staff interactions. This also suggests the need for retailers’ own apps and location-based technologies, such as Wi-Fi or beacons, at the point-of-sale to influence purchase intentions.
Researcher
More information
The research article is also available on eprints.