The Consumer Journey: Bridging Webrooming and Showrooming in Omnichannel Retailing with UTAUT2 Insights

Abstract

Purpose: This research examines the behavioural intents associated with showrooming and webrooming in a retail setting that integrates several channels, using the (UTAUT2) Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology model. Showrooming is the act of consumers examining things in brick-and-mortar shops but then purchasing them online at lower expenses. On the other hand, webrooming refers to the process of studying products on the internet before making a purchase in a physical store. Design/Methodology/Approach: A cross-sectional study was undertaken in the National Capital Region (NCR) of Delhi, India, with 630 participants. Two sets of questions, specifically designed for showrooming and webrooming, were used. The data were examined using PLS-SEM 4 (Partial Least Squares Modelling) to evaluate the psychometric characteristics and test hypotheses. Findings: The findings suggest that variables such as performance expectation, price value, social influence, and hedonic motivation positively affect both showrooming and webrooming intentions. On the other hand, factors like effort expectancy and Facilitating conditions only have a significant impact on webrooming. Retailers have the option to utilise social influence by displaying product popularity and customer feedback to improve in-store sales and cultivate loyalty via active participation on social media platforms. Limitations: The urban-centric sample, the absence of several UTAUT2 components and demographic moderators, and other limitations point to directions for further study. This research offers retailers practical insights to successfully combine physical and digital channels and advances our knowledge of customer behaviour in omnichannel shopping.