Description
Shopping companion apps, which assist customers in product search and buying decisions, are an emerging phenomenon in the context of omnichannel retail. These retailer-provided apps link the digital with the physical servicescape of the store, allowing for new forms of online and at the same time physical service. So far, there is no dominant design for this type of information system. Both academia and practice lack empirical information about what customers expect from this kind of mobile app. Drawing from service quality literature as theoretical foundation, we conducted a qualitative content analysis of 1,448 customer reviews of three major shopping companion apps. The analysis yielded 23 aspects that customers expect from shopping companion apps, and that, in turn, can support establishing high mobile service quality. Our results contribute to the knowledge of m-service in retail and quality-driven app design.
Eliciting Customer Preferences for Shopping Companion Apps: A Service Quality Approach
Shopping companion apps, which assist customers in product search and buying decisions, are an emerging phenomenon in the context of omnichannel retail. These retailer-provided apps link the digital with the physical servicescape of the store, allowing for new forms of online and at the same time physical service. So far, there is no dominant design for this type of information system. Both academia and practice lack empirical information about what customers expect from this kind of mobile app. Drawing from service quality literature as theoretical foundation, we conducted a qualitative content analysis of 1,448 customer reviews of three major shopping companion apps. The analysis yielded 23 aspects that customers expect from shopping companion apps, and that, in turn, can support establishing high mobile service quality. Our results contribute to the knowledge of m-service in retail and quality-driven app design.