Brand repurchasing in channel switching: insights from omnichannel grocery retailing
研究了全渠道杂货零售中顾客的品牌惯性重复购买行为，发现继续使用同一渠道比转换渠道更能促进品牌重复购买，且线上渠道的惯性更强；私人品牌份额对此有调节作用。
Purpose This study aims to examine customers’ inertial brand repurchasing behavior in omnichannel grocery retailing. It identifies the conditions under which continuing to use the same channel or switching channels leads to a stronger or weaker impact on brand repurchasing. In addition, it evaluates the moderating effect of customers’ private label purchasing. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a representative Japanese purchase panel data set from three years, including 4,071 unique customers from three major omnichannel grocery retailers. Customers’ brand repurchasing rates in shopping baskets are modeled, and the main effect of the channel switching pattern and the moderating effect of customers’ private label share are evaluated. To address the issue of customer self-selection in channel switching, propensity score analysis is applied. Findings Customers tend to repurchase brands when they continue using the same channel rather than switching channels. This tendency is stronger when continuing with online channels. In addition, the repurchasing rate is higher when customers switch from offline to online than from online to offline. Furthermore, private label share has a moderating effect on this relationship. Research limitations/implications This study offers a new perspective on omnichannel grocery retailing by highlighting that inertial behavior is stronger in online grocery shopping and elucidating brand trialability and the discovery role of physical stores in channel switching from offline to online. Practical implications The findings provide managerial implications for retailers to enhance omnichannel strategies, including assortment management and private label strategies. Originality/value This novel study investigates inertial behavior during channel switching across consecutive shopping trips, revealing the conditions that affect this behavior.