Retail format selection in on-the-go shopping situations

• Published in: Journal of business research Vol. 100; pp. 268 - 278
• Main Authors: Benoit, Sabine, Evanschitzky, Heiner, Teller, Christoph
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01-07-2019
• Subjects: Choice; Experiments; Food; On-the-go consumption; Retail format; Shopping situation; Choice; On-the-go consumption; Experiments; Retail format; Shopping situation; Food
• ISSN: 0148-2963; 1873-7978
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.04.007

Consumers patronize different store formats to purchase products. Prior literature describes store and format choices for big, multi-item shopping baskets, but limited insights determine consumers' unique shopping routines when they seek to buy just one or a few items while on the go. Such shopping situations might affect consumers' format selections for both search and experience goods. This study uses multi-attribute utility theory to develop a framework, tested with a scenario-based experiment. For search goods, a format's economic utility (price level, speed) is more important; its functional utility (quality, variety) and psychological utility (atmosphere, service) become less important considerations. Furthermore, the tolerable range of formats is larger for search goods. The level of on-the-go purchase and consumption frequency moderates these effects. Therefore, this research helps to clarify what drives consumers' format selections in on-the-go shopping situations, with useful managerial insights for how retailers can compete in the growing on-the-go market.
•Research focus: impact of an on-the-go situation on retail format selection•For goods easy to evaluate (search good; e.g., can of Coke), a format’s price level and speed are more important•For goods hard to evaluate (experience good; e.g., salad), quality, variety, atmosphere, and service are more important•More formats are relevant when shopping for search goods compared to experience goods•Frequent on-the-go shoppers consider even more formats when shopping for search goods compared to experience goods