Developing Consumer Preference-Profiles as a Basis for Multi-Channel Service Concepts

Abstract

Electronic distribution channels, such as the World Wide Web, mobile terminals, and digital television, have provided new opportunities for the retailing industry by providing consumers with alternative channels with which to buy goods and services. In order to better understand the implications of multi-channel access on electronic retailing, we will highlight the steps of the consumer decision-making process that rely the most on multi-channel access technologies (e.g., information search, comparison of alternatives, purchasing, and paying), describe the different channels, and use segmented groups of Finnish consumers to build sample consumer preference profiles, upon which new services can be developed.