Is multichannel integration in retailing a source of competitive advantage? A consumer perspective

Multichannel integration in retailing is the ability of retailers to combine physical infrastructures (stores) and virtual channels (catalogues, internet and mobile shopping) in order to sell and distribute products and the related post-sales services. The purpose of this chapter is to investigate how shoppers perceive three different multichannel integration models in retailing: independent, database and full-integrated models. The results of a qualitative enquiry and of a quantitative survey reveal that when consumers choose among different multichannel retailers, the retailer’s brand reputation, the experience with other shopping channels of the same retailer, and the website design are the most cited factors influencing their purchasing decision. Even though findings disclose that respondents do not perceive multichannel integration as a driver of their shopping choices, the qualitative data indicate the existence of a respondents’ attitude towards the multichannel integration, measured in this chapter through an exploratory and a confirmatory factor analysis in the quantitative survey.