The shopper's path-to-purchase is paved with digital opportunities: How technology can augment the on- and offline shopping experience

This talk presents an overview of how on- and offline retailers can learn from each other and how technology is key in searching for sustainable competitive advantages. First, we focus on bricks-and-mortar retail technologies by conducting a two-dimensional analysis, namely according to the stage in the path-to-purchase when a technology is likely to prevail, and with respect to the type of customer value it mainly offers (e.g., utilitarian vs. hedonic). Second, we address a major shortcoming in online retailing, namely the lack of physical inspection (or even trial) while shopping online, resulting in higher perceived risks and ultimately also contributing to online shopping cart abandonment. In particular, we shed a light on sensory-enabling technologies (SETs) and other compensatory measures that can assist online retailers in solving or alleviating this problem. We conclude with a research agenda for both HCI- and marketing researchers, on both on- and offline retail technologies.