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Mobile shopping, also known as m-shopping, is defined as “the online searching, browsing, comparing and purchasing of goods and services by consumers through wireless handheld, or mobile devices; in particular, smartphones and tablets” (Marriott et al., 2017). Brand loyalty is created with the aid of mobile phones (Wang et al., 2015). Continued usage of MSA involves high revenues from sales (Kim et al., 2015). MSA possess the ability to enhance customers’ experience of shopping (Shankar et al, 2016); they also supply reviews, product information, and location of stores (Danaher et al., 2015). MSA offer higher convenience in the form of notifications via the mobile, and promotion information; bar code or QR (Quick Response) code scanning is automatically delivered, enabling the consumer’s payment during in-store shopping; and online delivery of digital products on their phones results in immediate gratification (Murphy & Meeker, 2011). MSA are now considered an innovative medium for customer acquisition as well as their loyalty to a certain brand (Wang et al., 2015).
However, there are several challenges being faced by retailers and marketers. Half of the mobile shoppers using the app for in-store experience stop using it due to a lack of features that are most valued for mobile shopping, such as fast and smooth checkout, ease of site navigation, and frictionless adding and dropping items from a basket (Ericson, L., 2020). Marketers are not sure of “whether and how mobile shopping apps drive customer satisfaction with the retailer, what motivates a user to make in store purchase and how its spillover effects impact retail store re-patronage intentions and behavior” (Narang, U., Shankar, V., & Narayanan, S. 2018).
Average MSA user retention level drops to 5% within three months of download of the app (Furner et al., 2014). Though creating consumer–brand relationships and enhancing consumer retention of various mobile apps is critical for long-term customer profitability, marketers are not sure of how to inspire and encourage consumer–brand relationships and consumer involvement with MSA and continuously enhance user satisfaction and usage levels (Lu, 2014).
Mobile shopping, however, could be a source of stress for new users and this is because of their uniqueness; this could eventually pose as a barrier for m-commerce (Yang & Forney, 2013). MSA users express security concerns (Nielsen, 2015) due to sharing of personal and financial information and anxiety due to its uniqueness and newness (Yang & Forney, 2013). Shoppers are unwilling to download a shopping app on their mobile phone because of the proliferation of apps, privacy and security issues, and uninteresting coupons ordeals.
Similar to the findings of Grob (2015) in their review of m-shopping, a review of literature on m-shopping apps indicates that results are highly inconsistent and fragmented. The author could not find any prior effort to synthesize the literature on MSA. Hence, this paper attempts to address this gap. Little effort has been made to systematically review this research stream. Although the adoption and use of various types of mobile apps has been the focus of academic research till date, inadequate emphasis is laid on m-shopping apps as well as on the dynamics that have an impact on their recognition (Chopdar et al., 2018). The author of this review could not access any prior review paper on MSA adoption.
A literature review on information systems, consumer behavior, and m-shopping illustrates the use of a number of theories or conceptual models for evaluating their adoption behavior. These theoretical models are either used alone or modified by extending them with other constructs for investigation of users’ intention to adopt m-shopping apps, and their intention to use their MSAs post-purchase behavior. Further, although studies have mostly explored the consumers’ perspective to m-shopping acceptance themes, the technology and retailing perspective is still under-researched. This paper provides an integrated perspective on the theories of consumer acceptance of MSA by a systematic review of literature and a narrative review of the technology and retailing perspective by applying an inductively developed classification framework.
The extant literature on MSA adoption is predominantly based on behavioral intention theories, such as the Technology Acceptance Model, Diffusion of Innovation, and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. In this study, new theoretical constructs are identified from the fields of socio-psychology, consumer behavior, motivation, Information systems, and technology adoption.