A Study On B2C Multichannel Comsuption Behavior Based On Rationality And Experience

In b2c situation, multichannel consumption behavior can create better corporation performance. Profit ability from multichannel consumers obviously exceeds single channel consumers. The literatures of multichanel marketing analysis channel choice behavior mostly from the viewpoint of rational. Multichannel consumption behavior is influenced by individual factors, psychology factors, situation factors, social factors, channel characteristics and enterprise factors. The study of multichannel behavior decision making and channel preference forming mechanism from perspective of rational and experience is an important research area of multichannel customer management.This thesis takes online channel and offline channel as research background, and conducts an empirical investigation in multichannel behavior starting from consumer behavior, service interaction and social exchange in economic business environment.First, combining behavioral economics and customer value theory, this thesis analyses rational rule, rational computation policy, and consumer decision making mechanism in multichannel environment. Consumers take value as criterion in channel selection. The viewpoint of utilitarian-experiential value is capable of expressing the complex characteristics of customer's rationality and sensibility. Then this thesis develops a channel choice conceptual model to gain a better understanding of channel choice. Consumers make decision to accept or use multichannel according to the channels' performance in terms of benefits and sacrifice. The consumers' involvement at different levels makes the experience strictly personal. The overall evaluation decides the probability of channel choice.Second, based on social exchange theory, this thesis explores the impact of consumer's perception on online channel retention behavior in B2C multicnannel environment. The empirical analysis reveals that economic value, switching cost, self affirmation, and service quality positively affect channel retention behavior significantly. Perceived risk has significantly negative effect on both economic value and channel retention. Service and enjoyment experience have significant positive relationship with economic value. Enjoyment experience has a significant indirect influence on channel retention through economic value. These research results indicate that service quality satisfies the customer's functional or utilitarian need. The feeling or sensibility stimulated by enjoyment experience makes the perception of good for value. Channel retention is rational behavior and mainly restricted by rational factors.Third, this thesis sets forth the influence relationship between experience, customer value and channel preference, and a theoretical model is constructed. This thesis adopts three customer experience styles: physical presence, competence, and enjoyment. The empirical results showed that physical presence and enjoyment have significantly positive effect on utilitarian value, experiential value and trust. Competence has significantly positive effect on utilitarian value and trust. Utilitarian value, experiential value and trust positively affect channel preference significantly. Utilitarian value and experiential value have significant indirect influence on channel preference through trust. These research results indicate that forming mechanism of channel preference is experience→customer value→trust→preference.Fourth, in B2C multichannel context the factors which affect consumers' online consumption behavior include retailer online trust, reputation, website interactivity, cross-channel coordination, and consumer protection. The empirical analysis reveals that online trust positive affect online purchase intention significantly. Retailer reputation and cross-channel coordination have significant indirect influence on online purchase intention through online trust. Website interactivity and consumer protection have both direct and indirect effects on online purchase intention.These results highlight some managerial implications for successfully developing and implementing multichannel marketing strategy based on consumer's perception.