Abstract In the multi-channel retailing environment, the consumer channel decision-making has changed fundamentally. Focusing on the two channels of the real store and the online store, the paper investigates the influence of the channel attributes on consumer selection intentions based on both in terms of information search and product buying. By applying the perceived-value theory, the paper analyzes the influence of search attributes on consumer search intentions, the influence of buying attributes on consumer buying intention, defines channel lock-in and cross-channel synergy by applying the trust transfer theory, and establishes a conceptual model. By simultaneous equations models established and solved, these following results are found. Channel search benefits, including information availability, search convenience and social interaction, positively affect consumer search intention of the real store and the online store, but search cost, including search effort, negatively affects consumer search intention. Channel buying benefits, including service quality, purchase convenience and enjoyment, positively affect consumer buying intention of the real store and the online store, but the buying cost, including purchase effort and purchase risk, negatively affect consumer buying intention. The real store has the lock-in feature, but the online store has not. The store search for online buying and online search for store buying have synergy.
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