In-store mobile WOM significantly alters webrooming choices, especially for fashion
Consumer product choices during webrooming are demonstrably influenced by mobile word-of-mouth (m-WOM) encountered in physical stores, with varying impact depending on the product category.
International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management · 2020
Key Findings
- 01In-store m-WOM is perceived as helpful by webroomers and impacts their preferences and choices.
- 02For electronics, anonymous online reviews were more influential than friend recommendations, while for fashion accessories, friends' opinions were more impactful.
- 03Trustworthiness and expertise of the m-WOM source are key factors influencing its effect.
Application
Design takeaway
Designers and marketers must acknowledge that a consumer's journey is not linear; in-store digital interactions can significantly alter online research outcomes. Therefore, physical store design and digital integration should consider the potential influence of m-WOM.
How to apply
When designing a retail experience, consider how to facilitate or moderate the display of customer reviews or social media mentions within the physical store, especially for fashion items where peer recommendations are highly valued.
Project actions
- 01Consider how digital word-of-mouth can influence user journeys across different touchpoints.
- 02Investigate how product category affects the impact of social influence.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Investigates a novel interaction between m-WOM, webrooming, and omnichannel retailing.
- +Differentiates impact based on product category and source credibility.
Limitations
Simulating real-world in-store WOM can be challenging. The study's focus on specific product categories might not cover the full spectrum of consumer goods.
Reliability & validity
The study uses a controlled experimental design which enhances internal validity. However, the artificiality of the online experiment may limit external validity. Reliability would depend on the consistency of participant responses across similar conditions.
Think critically
How might a retailer strategically leverage the differing impact of anonymous reviews versus friend recommendations to influence purchasing decisions for different product types?
Design Principles
"Integrate and manage peer-to-peer digital influence within physical retail spaces to align with omnichannel consumer behavior."
Understanding how in-store digital interactions, like m-WOM, affect pre-purchase research (webrooming) is crucial for omnichannel retailers. This insight helps in strategizing how to leverage or mitigate the influence of peer recommendations within the physical retail environment.
What This Means for Your Design
What people say about products on their phones while in a store can change what they decide to buy online later, especially for clothes.
How to use in your project
- 1.Reference this study when discussing the impact of social influence or digital communication on user choice in your design project.
- 2.Use the findings to justify design decisions related to integrating user-generated content or social features in a retail setting.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
(2020). Mobile word of mouth (m-WOM): analysing its negative impact on webrooming in omnichannel retailing. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijrdm-05-2020-0169 Retrieved from https://designdex.org/study/d27ef772-4f11-4472-b303-605201b2c8dd/in-store-mobile-wom-significantly-alters-webrooming-choices-especially-for-fashion
Paragraph starter
Research by Flavián, Gurrea, and Orús (2020) indicates that mobile word-of-mouth (m-WOM) encountered in physical stores significantly influences webrooming behavior. Their findings suggest that for electronics, anonymous online reviews are more persuasive, whereas for fashion accessories, recommendations from friends hold greater sway, underscoring the importance of tailoring digital content strategies to specific product categories within an omnichannel retail framework.
Source
International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management
Mobile word of mouth (m-WOM): analysing its negative impact on webrooming in omnichannel retailing
journal · 2020
View sourceQuestions about this research
- What does the research say about in-store mobile wom significantly alters webrooming choices, especially for fashion?
- Designers and marketers must acknowledge that a consumer's journey is not linear; in-store digital interactions can significantly alter online research outcomes. Therefore, physical store design and digital integration should consider the potential influence of m-WOM. Evidence: International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management (2020).
- Why does "In-store mobile WOM significantly alters webrooming choices, especially for fashion" matter for design?
- Understanding how in-store digital interactions, like m-WOM, affect pre-purchase research (webrooming) is crucial for omnichannel retailers. This insight helps in strategizing how to leverage or mitigate the influence of peer recommendations within the physical retail environment.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Designers and marketers must acknowledge that a consumer's journey is not linear; in-store digital interactions can significantly alter online research outcomes. Therefore, physical store design and digital integration should consider the potential influence of m-WOM.
- What were the main findings?
- In-store m-WOM is perceived as helpful by webroomers and impacts their preferences and choices.. For electronics, anonymous online reviews were more influential than friend recommendations, while for fashion accessories, friends' opinions were more impactful.. Trustworthiness and expertise of the m-WOM source are key factors influencing its effect.
- What research method was used?
- Online experiment with 204 participants.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2020 journal from International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing a retail experience, consider how to facilitate or moderate the display of customer reviews or social media mentions within the physical store, especially for fashion items where peer recommendations are highly valued.
- What are the limitations?
- The study was conducted online, and the 'in-store' experience was simulated. The generalizability to all product categories and all types of m-WOM may be limited.
- Is there evidence that m-wom affects design outcomes?
- Consumers engaging in webrooming are swayed by mobile word-of-mouth (m-WOM) they encounter in physical stores. The source of this m-WOM matters differently for electronics (anonymous reviews preferred) versus fashion (friend recommendations preferred). Understanding how in-store digital interactions, like m-WOM, affect Source: International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management (2020).
- Where does this in-store digital research apply?
- Omnichannel retailing, specifically the interplay between physical stores and online research (webrooming). It sits within innovation & markets research on designdex.org.
Related research topics
m-wom design research · evidence on m-wom · does m-wom improve design outcomes · in-store digital studies for designers · m-wom and in-store digital findings · innovation & markets research evidence