Mobile app vs. desktop browser platforms: the relationships among customer engagement, experience, relationship quality and loyalty intention

• Published in: Journal of marketing management Vol. 39; no. 3-4; pp. 275 - 297
• Main Authors: Khan, Imran, Hollebeek, Linda D., Fatma, Mobin, Islam, Jamid Ul, Rather, Raouf Ahmad, Shahid, Shadma, Sigurdsson, Valdimar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Helensburg Routledge 12-02-2023; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Consumer behavior; Consumers; customer engagement; customer experience; Customers; desktop browser; Interpersonal relations; Loyalty; mobile apps; Quality; relationship quality
• ISSN: 0267-257X; 1472-1376
• DOI: 10.1080/0267257X.2022.2106290

The growing use of mobile technologies is spawning firms' adoption of mobile relationship-building techniques, including via mobile apps. However, despite the rapid rise of these technologies, little remains known regarding consumers' mobile app- (vs. desktop browser) related behaviours, and this is therefore investigated in this paper. Specifically, we explore the effect of customer engagement (CE) and customer experience (CX) on customers' relationship quality/loyalty intention across mobile app- (vs. desktop browser)-based interactions. Using structural equation modelling, we analyse data collected from 420 customers. The results reveal a stronger positive association between CE/CX and relationship quality/loyalty intention for mobile app- (vs. desktop browser)-based interactions, revealing the former's strategic importance. We conclude by discussing key implications that arise from our analyses.