Young Consumers in a Multichannel World

Abstract: This study explores the views and practices of young shoppers in their multichannel shopping experience with a focus on the customer experience, integration and experience based value in relation to hedonistic and utilitarian values. This was done by studying two different classes of students at Lund University, Campus Helsingborg, a total of 182 persons at the ages of 19-25. Mixed methods were used where the respondents were asked to answer questionnaires that related to their shopping experiences and habits. Further 6 students were chosen to participate in open ended interviews where the findings from the questionnaires were reflected upon. In this sample it was found that the young shoppers use multiple channels in an integrated way and that integrated service is important for the customer experience. The physical store was found to be the most important channel to the respondents but the online channel was considered a self-evident service, something that was expected. Both channels serve a hedonistic as well as a utilitarian role although the hedonistic aspects of the physical store were regarded somewhat more important than in the case of the online channel. The online channel seems to serve a more informative role in the eyes of the respondents even though more hedonistic uses of the channel are evolving. The mobile channel and social media were not widely accepted in the shopping context by the respondents. The mobile was found to lack in functionality and retail activities on social media were regarded intrusive and troublesome to a large extent. These are important implications for future research as well as managerial. These findings give some support to the importance of managing the multichannel experience in an integrated way as well as to point to possible short comings of the new channels in retailing; the mobile and social media.