Skip to main content

Does Service Quality Perception in Omnichannel Retailing Matter? A Systematic Review and Agenda for Future Research

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Exploring Omnichannel Retailing

Abstract

The retailing landscape has been transformed in the past decade with the emergence of web, mobile and social media. Multichannel retailers are focusing on establishing seamless omnichannel service experience. Omnichannel retailing is not only addition of channels, rather integration of service elements, price, promotion, product assortment, information and transactional data within all available channels of a company. Within omnichannel retailing, the concept of brand experience is highly specific as it includes interactive channels such as social media and review sites. To complete even a single purchase, customers nowadays are using multiple channels. Customers are trying out products in a physical store but at the same time ordering it online using smartphones after comparing price and checking reviews. Remember the customer who did not complete her purchase in store? She may have ordered similar product using other channels offered by competitors. To create a successful omnichannel strategy, companies need to integrate all the channels and customer touchpoints to provide a consistent experience. Whereas multi-channel has focused on enhancing customer value incorporating digital tools, omnichannel has introduced a wider perspective in influencing consumer decision making. With the emergence of omnichannel and related complexities, this study calls for a broader conceptualization of virtual, physical and integration quality. The study also puts forward challenges and future research directions for quality modelling in omnichannel research.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Ackermann, S., & von Wangenheim, F. (2014). Behavioural consequences of customer-initiated channel migration. Journal of Service Research, 17, 262–277.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aladwani, A. M., & Palvia, P. C. (2002). Developing and validating an instrument for measuring user-perceived web quality. Information Management, 39, 467–476.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Banerjee, M. (2014). Misalignment and its influence on integration quality in multichannel services. Journal of Service Research, 17, 460–474.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barnes, S. J., & Vidgen, R. T. (2002). An integrative approach to the assessment of E-commerce quality. Journal of Electronic Commerce Research, 3, 114–127.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baxendale, S., Macdonald, E. K., & Wilson, H. N. (2015). The impact of different touchpoints on brand consideration. Journal of Retailing, 91, 235–253.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Benedettini, O., & Neely, A. (2012). Complexity in services: An interpretative framework. POMS 23rd Annual Conference.

    Google Scholar 

  • Birnik, A., & Bowman, C. (2007). Marketing mix standardization in multinational corporations: A review of the evidence. International Journal of Management Reviews, 9, 303–324.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brady, M. K., & Cronin, J. J. (2001). Some new thoughts on conceptualizing perceived service quality: A hierarchical approach. The Journal of Marketing, 65(3), 34–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brady, M. K., & Robertson, C. J. (2001). Searching for a consensus on the antecedent role of service quality and satisfaction: An exploratory cross-national study. Journal of Business Research, 51, 53–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology qualitative research in psychology (Vol. 3, pp. 77–101). Bristol: University of the West of England.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brynjolfsson, E., Hu, Y. J., & Rahman, M. S. (2013). Competing in the age of omnichannel retailing. MIT Sloan Management Review, 54, 23–29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burke, R. (2002). Technology and the customer interface: What consumers want in the physical and virtual store. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 30, 411–432.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cao, L., & Li, L. (2015). The impact of cross-channel integration on retailers’ sales growth. Journal of Retailing, 91, 198–216.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chae, M., Kim, J., Kim, H., & Ryu, H. (2002). Information quality for mobile internet services: A theoretical model with empirical validation. Electronic Markets, 12, 38–46.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng, J. M.-S., Tsao, S.-M., Tsai, W.-H., & Tu, H. H.-J. (2007). Will eChannel additions increase the financial performance of the firm?—The evidence from Taiwan. Industrial Marketing Management, 36, 50–57.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Constantinides, E., & Fountain, S. J. (2008). Web 2.0: Conceptual foundations and marketing issues. Journal of Direct, Data and Digital Marketing Practice, 9, 231–244.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cronin, J. J., Brady, M. K., & Hult, G. T. M. (2000). Assessing the effects of quality, value, and customer satisfaction on consumer behavioural intentions in service environments. Journal of Retailing, 76, 193–218.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crosby, D. C. (2006). Quality is easy. Quality, 45, 58.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dagger, T. S., & Sweeney, J. C. (2006). The effect of service evaluations on behavioural intentions and quality of life. Journal of Service Research, 9, 3–18.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dagger, T. S., Sweeney, J. C., & Johnson, L. W. (2007). A hierarchical model of health service quality scale development and investigation of an integrated model. Journal of Service Research, 10, 123–142.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ezzy, D. (2002). Qualitative analysis: Practice and innovation. Crows Nest: Allen & Unwin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Falk, T., Schepers, J., Hammerschmidt, M., & Bauer, H. H. (2007). Identifying cross-channel dissynergies for multichannel service providers. Journal of Service Research, 10, 143–160.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fassnacht, M., & Koese, I. (2006). Quality of electronic services conceptualizing and testing a hierarchical model. Journal of Service Research, 9, 19–37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ganesh, J. (2004). Managing customer preferences in a multi-channel environment using Eeb services. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 32, 140–146.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garvin, D. A. (1988). Managing quality: The strategic and competitive edge. Simon and Schuster.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gefen, D. (2002). Customer loyalty in e-commerce. Journal of the Association for Information Systems, 3, 27–51.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gensler, S., Verhoef, P. C., & Böhm, M. (2012). Understanding consumers’ multichannel choices across the different stages of the buying process. Marketing Letters, 23, 987–1003.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goh, K.-Y., Heng, C.-S., & Lin, Z. (2013). Social media brand community and consumer behaviour: Quantifying the relative impact of user- and marketer-generated content. Information Systems Research, 24, 88–107.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grönroos, C. (1984). A service quality model and its marketing implications. European Journal of Marketing, 18, 36–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gulati, R., & Garino, J. (1999). Get the right mix of bricks & clicks. Harvard Business Review, 78, 107–114, 214.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hammerschmidt, M., Falk, T., & Weijters, B. (2016). Channels in the mirror: An alignable model for assessing customer satisfaction in concurrent channel systems. Journal of Service Research, 19, 88–101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Helbling, J., Leibowitz, J., Rettaliata, A. (2011). The value proposition in multichannel retailing. McKinsey Quarterly.

    Google Scholar 

  • Herhausen, D., Binder, J., Schoegel, M., & Herrmann, A. (2015). Integrating bricks with clicks: Retailer-level and channel-level outcomes of online-offline channel integration. Journal of Retailing, 91, 309–325.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holden-Bache, A. (2011). Study: 93% of B2B marketers use social media marketing. BtoB Magazine.

    Google Scholar 

  • Homburg, C., Vollmayr, J., & Hahn, A. (2014). Firm value creation through major channel expansions: Evidence from an event study in the United States, Germany, and China. Journal of Marketing, 78, 38–61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hu, T., Kettinger, W. J., & Poston, R. S. (2015). The effect of online social value on satisfaction and continued use of social media. European Journal of Information Systems, 24, 391–410.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Insites, C. (2011). Social integration survey. Ghent, Belgium.

    Google Scholar 

  • International Organization for Standardization (ISO). (2005). Quality management systems – Fundamentals and vocabulary. ISO Standard 9000/2005, Geneva.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jiang, J. J., Klein, G., & Crampton, S. M. (2000). A note on SERVQUAL reliability and validity in information system service quality measurement. Decision Sciences, 31, 725–744.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnston, R., & Clark, G. (2001). Service operations management. Harlow: Pearson Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kara, A., Lonial, S., Tarim, M., & Zaim, S. (2005). A paradox of service quality in Turkey: The seemingly contradictory relative importance of tangible and intangible determinants of service quality. European Business Review, 17, 5–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kettinger, W. J., & Lee, C. C. (1994). Perceived service quality and user satisfaction with the information services function. Decision Sciences, 25, 737–766.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, H. M., & Nitecki, D. A. (2014). A proposed scale for measuring the quality of social media services: An E-S-QUAL approach. Seattle, Washington: ASIST.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kim, H.-Y., Lee, J. Y., Mun, J. M., & Johnson, K. K. (2017). Consumer adoption of smart in-store technology: Assessing the predictive value of attitude versus beliefs in the technology acceptance model. International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education, 10, 26–36.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Konuş, U., Verhoef, P. C., & Neslin, S. A. (2008). Multichannel shopper segments and their covariates. Journal of Retailing, 84, 398–413.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar, V., Sunder, S., & Sharma, A. (2015). Leveraging distribution to maximize firm performance in emerging markets. Journal of Retailing, 91, 627–643.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lazaris, C., & Vrechopoulos, A. (2014). From multichannel to “omnichannel” retailing: Review of the literature and calls for research 2nd International Conference on Contemporary Marketing Issues (ICCMI). Greece: Athens.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leeflang, P. S., Verhoef, P. C., Dahlström, P., & Freundt, T. (2014). Challenges and solutions for marketing in a digital era. European Management Journal, 32, 1–12.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levy, M., Weitz, B., & Grewal, D. (2013). Retailing management (9th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Li, H., & Kannan, P. K. (2014). Attributing conversions in a multi-channel online marketing environment: An empirical model and a field experiment. Journal of Marketing Research, 51, 40–56.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mangold, W. G., & Faulds, D. J. (2009). Social media: The new hybrid element of the promotion mix. Business Horizons, 52, 357–365.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Michael, P. (2001). Strategy and the internet. Harvard Business Review, 79, 63–78.

    Google Scholar 

  • Montoya-Weiss, M. M., Voss, G. B., & Grewal, D. (2003). Determinants of online channel use and overall satisfaction with a relational, multichannel service provider. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 31, 448–458.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, R. R., Todd, P. A., & Wixom, B. H. (2005). Antecedents of information and system quality: An empirical examination within the context of data warehousing. Journal of Management Information Systems, 21, 199–235.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neslin, S. A., Grewal, D., Leghorn, R., Shankar, V., Teerling, M. L., Thomas, J. S., & Verhoef, P. C. (2006). Challenges and opportunities in multichannel customer management. Journal of Service Research, 9, 95–112.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ngai, E. W. T., & Wat, F. K. T. (2002). A literature review and classification of electronic commerce research. Information Management, 39, 415–429.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oliver, R. L., Rust, R. T., & Varki, S. (1997). Customer delight: Foundations, findings, and managerial insight. Journal of Retailing, 73, 311–336.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Orlikowski, W. J., & Iacono, C. S. (2001). Research commentary: Desperately seeking the “it” in it research—a call to theorizing the it artifact. Information Systems Research, 12, 121–134.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parasuraman, A. (1990). Delivering quality service: Balancing customer perceptions and expectations. New York: Free Press; London: Collier Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parasuraman, A., & Grewal, D. (2000). The impact of technology on the quality-value-loyalty chain: A research agenda. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 28, 168–174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V. A., & Berry, L. L. (1985). A conceptual model of service quality and its implications for future research. The Journal of Marketing, 49, 41–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V. A., & Berry, L. L. (1988). Servqual. Journal of Retailing, 64, 12–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V. A., & Malhotra, A. (2005). E-S-QUAL: A multiple-item scale for assessing electronic service quality. Journal of Service Research, 7, 213–233.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Patrício, L., Fisk, R. P., & Falcão e Cunha, J. (2008). Designing multi-interface service experiences: The service experience blueprint. Journal of Service Research, 10, 318–334.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pauwels, K., & Neslin, S. A. (2015). Building with bricks and mortar: The revenue impact of opening physical stores in a multichannel environment. Journal of Retailing, 91, 182–197.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Piotrowicz, W., & Cuthbertson, R. (2014). Introduction to the special issue information technology in retail: Toward omnichannel retailing. International Journal of Electronic Commerce, 18, 5–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rigby, D. (2011). The future of shopping. Harvard Business Review, 89, 65–76.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rust, R. T., & Oliver, R. L. (1994). Service quality: New directions in theory and practice. California: Sage.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Rust, R. T., Zahorik, A. J., & Keiningham, T. L. (1994). Return on quality: Measuring the financial impact of your company’s quest for quality. Probus Chicago.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sousa, R., & Voss, C. A. (2006). Service quality in multichannel services employing virtual channels. Journal of Service Research, 8, 356–371.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vaithianathan, S. (2010). A review of e-commerce literature on India and research agenda for the future. Electronic Commerce Research, 10, 83–97.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Bruggen, G. H., Antia, K. D., Jap, S. D., Reinartz, W. J., & Pallas, F. (2010). Managing marketing channel multiplicity. Journal of Service Research, 13, 331–340.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Dyke, T. P., Kappelman, L. A., & Prybutok, V. R. (1997). Measuring information systems service quality: Concerns on the use of the SERVQUAL questionnaire. MIS Quarterly, 195–208.

    Google Scholar 

  • Venkatesan, R., Kumar, V., & Ravishanker, N. (2007). Multichannel shopping: Causes and consequences. Journal of Marketing, 71, 114–132.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Verhoef, P. C. (2012). Multi-channel customer management strategy. In V. Shankar & G. Carpenter (Eds.), Handbook of marketing strategy. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.

    Google Scholar 

  • Verhoef, P. C., Neslin, S. A., & Vroomen, B. (2007). Multichannel customer management: Understanding the research-shopper phenomenon. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 24, 129–148.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Verhoef, P. C., Kannan, P., & Inman, J. J. (2015). From multi-channel retailing to omnichannel retailing: Introduction to the special issue on multi-channel retailing. Journal of Retailing, 91, 174–181.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vishwanath, V., & Mulvin, G. (2001). Multi-Channels: The Real Winners in the B2C Internet Wars. Business Strategy Review, 12, 25–33.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vollmer, C., & Precourt, G. (2008). Always on: Advertising, marketing, and media in an era of consumer control. New York: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wicks, A. M., & Roethlein, C. J. (2009). A satisfaction-based definition of quality. The Journal of Business and Economic Studies, 15, 82.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wirtz, J., & Lovelock, C. (2016). Services marketing: People, technology, strategy.

    Google Scholar 

  • Xia, Y., & Zhang, G. P. (2010). The impact of the online channel on retailers’ performances: An empirical evaluation. Decision Sciences, 41, 517–546.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yoo, B., & Donthu, N. (2001). Developing a scale to measure the perceived quality of an internet shopping (SITEQUAL). Quarterly Journal of Electronic Commerce, 2, 31–47.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shahriar Akter .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Akter, S., Hossain, M.I., Lu, S., Aditya, S., Hossain, T.M.T., Kattiyapornpong, U. (2019). Does Service Quality Perception in Omnichannel Retailing Matter? A Systematic Review and Agenda for Future Research. In: Piotrowicz, W., Cuthbertson, R. (eds) Exploring Omnichannel Retailing. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98273-1_4

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics