A Customer Perspective on Omnichannel Customer Journey and Channel Usage : A Qualitative Study

Abstract

This qualitative study investigates customer behavior during the omnichannel customer journey. The study aims to increase the understanding of omnichannel service environments from a customer-centric point of view. The data was collected by interviewing 10 young adults (from 26 to 30 years old) who had bought a Finnish clothing brand (R-Collection) product via a digital or a physical channel. The research interviews dealt with the interviewees' experiences and channel behavior during their shopping journeys. Our results reflect the multidimensional nature of the omnichannel customer journey and give interesting insights into the usage of digital channels and technologies for clothing shopping. The main result of this study is a model of a customer journey in an omnichannel service environment that combines physical and digital service channels into a single entity. Thus, this research provides additional information on how different service channels and environments combine from a customer perspective.