In the Transition Phase of Fashion Shopping: Differences in Shopping Experience and Value Creation Between Online and Physical Stores

Abstract

Objectives

The main objectives of this study were to make a comparison between physical and online clothing retailers in terms of consumer experience and value creation, as well as explore and discuss how these differences could be used to increase the relevance of physical stores now and in the future. In addition, the study provides useful insights into the current state of fashion shopping and its meaning for consumers.

Summary

Fashion shopping is in a transition phase, as online stores are increasingly gaining popularity meanwhile physical stores have started to lose their grip and now struggle to compete with online retailers. By reviewing existing literature and conducting qualitative semi-structured interviews, this study explores how the physical shopping experience naturally differs from online shopping, and how retailers could take advantage of these differences to co-create more value with the customers. A conceptual framework is also proposed for the relationship between different channels, value creation and shopping experience.

Conclusions

Although most fashion shopping seems to be still done in brick-and-mortar, people are starting to adapt online shopping more and more. Meanwhile the possibility to try, touch and feel the clothes seems to clearly be the main thing that attracts people to physical stores in addition to service, a larger variety of clothes and different stores as well as convenience drives people to shop online. Furthermore, different discounts and sales exclusive to physical stores seem to be a preferred method that would attract consumers to visit physical stores more often. Also, the behavior seems to differ depending on the perceived availability of physical stores.