Internet or Traditional Stores : Identifying Influences on Consumers' Mobile Phone Purchases

• This explorative study aims to identify factors that can explain why some consumer purchases occur via Internet Stores while others take place in traditional stores. During the last few years' development of IT and Internet, the thoroughly explored research area of where consumers purchase has come to involve a new type of retail store, the Internet store. Even though there are other, perhaps more established, sales channels involving a distance between buyer and seller, for instance, mail-order and telephone, sales via the Internet have made researchers view consumers' choice of retail store with new eyes.Interviews, group discussions and a survey were used to capture both consumers' and firms' perspectives on the phenomenon under study. Theoretically, the study is built upon the interaction perspective with a focus on the consumer-retailer relationship. The business network perspective and the concept of connected actors were used to understand the context of the consumer-retailer relationship.The study has resulted in an analytical framework of internal and external influences on where consumers make purchases. Internal influences refer to concepts related to the consumer-retailer relationship: experiential knowledge, trust/distrust and commitment. These explain consumers' inclination to stay with their favourite store(s) instead of trying a new one, such as, an Internet store. External influences involve concepts referring to the context of the consumer-retailer relationship: information and commitment to brands. These influences may either strengthen or weaken a consumer's relationship with a retailer. If the relationship is weakened or dissolved the consumer may turn to a new retail store.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Ekonomi och näringsliv -- Företagsekonomi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Economics and Business -- Business Administration (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Business Studies

Företagsekonomi

Publikations- och innehållstyp

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