Consumer Reliance on Alternative Digital Touchpoints throughout the Buying Process

In both traditional and digital channels, the marketing function aims at devising and implementing appropriate strategies and tactics for each stage consumers go through when they are considering a purchase. In the digital environment, brands interact with consumers with use of digital touchpoints,...

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Main Authors: Christos LIVAS, Emmanouil SKARPARIS, Apostolos SKOTIS
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Sprint Investify 2022-02-01
Series:Expert Journal of Marketing
Subjects:
Online Access:https://marketing.expertjournals.com/23446773-1001/
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author Christos LIVAS
Emmanouil SKARPARIS
Apostolos SKOTIS
author_facet Christos LIVAS
Emmanouil SKARPARIS
Apostolos SKOTIS
author_sort Christos LIVAS
collection DOAJ
description In both traditional and digital channels, the marketing function aims at devising and implementing appropriate strategies and tactics for each stage consumers go through when they are considering a purchase. In the digital environment, brands interact with consumers with use of digital touchpoints, the growing number of which hinders effective and efficient coordination of marketing activities. The present research aims at investigating consumers’ perceived reliance on alternative digital touchpoints throughout the consumer buying process, and examining the impact of personal characteristics and type of digital device used on consumer perceptions. Results from a non-probability sample of 92 consumers showed that participants exhibit increased reliance on corporate websites, online stores, Instagram, web enquiries and YouTube during their buying journey. However, it appears that consumer reliance on digital touchpoints is affected by personal characteristics, such as biological sex and generation. Female consumers report increased reliance on Instagram to identify potential needs whereas males depend on YouTube during most stages of decision making. Lastly, consumers who belong in younger generations report greater reliance on digital touchpoints than older consumers. Overall, identification of differences in user preferences of digital touchpoints facilitates digital marketing planning and targeting of distinct segments with appropriate tactics.
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spelling doaj.art-976538647ffe463c919d503a42d65f282023-01-11T23:03:24ZengSprint InvestifyExpert Journal of Marketing2344-67732022-02-01101110Consumer Reliance on Alternative Digital Touchpoints throughout the Buying ProcessChristos LIVAS0Emmanouil SKARPARIS1Apostolos SKOTIS2University of Patras, GreeceUniversity of Patras, GreeceUniversity of Piraeus, GreeceIn both traditional and digital channels, the marketing function aims at devising and implementing appropriate strategies and tactics for each stage consumers go through when they are considering a purchase. In the digital environment, brands interact with consumers with use of digital touchpoints, the growing number of which hinders effective and efficient coordination of marketing activities. The present research aims at investigating consumers’ perceived reliance on alternative digital touchpoints throughout the consumer buying process, and examining the impact of personal characteristics and type of digital device used on consumer perceptions. Results from a non-probability sample of 92 consumers showed that participants exhibit increased reliance on corporate websites, online stores, Instagram, web enquiries and YouTube during their buying journey. However, it appears that consumer reliance on digital touchpoints is affected by personal characteristics, such as biological sex and generation. Female consumers report increased reliance on Instagram to identify potential needs whereas males depend on YouTube during most stages of decision making. Lastly, consumers who belong in younger generations report greater reliance on digital touchpoints than older consumers. Overall, identification of differences in user preferences of digital touchpoints facilitates digital marketing planning and targeting of distinct segments with appropriate tactics.https://marketing.expertjournals.com/23446773-1001/digital marketingdigital touchpointsdigital devicesconsumer behaviordecision makingbuying process
spellingShingle Christos LIVAS
Emmanouil SKARPARIS
Apostolos SKOTIS
Consumer Reliance on Alternative Digital Touchpoints throughout the Buying Process
Expert Journal of Marketing
digital marketing
digital touchpoints
digital devices
consumer behavior
decision making
buying process
title Consumer Reliance on Alternative Digital Touchpoints throughout the Buying Process
title_full Consumer Reliance on Alternative Digital Touchpoints throughout the Buying Process
title_fullStr Consumer Reliance on Alternative Digital Touchpoints throughout the Buying Process
title_full_unstemmed Consumer Reliance on Alternative Digital Touchpoints throughout the Buying Process
title_short Consumer Reliance on Alternative Digital Touchpoints throughout the Buying Process
title_sort consumer reliance on alternative digital touchpoints throughout the buying process
topic digital marketing
digital touchpoints
digital devices
consumer behavior
decision making
buying process
url https://marketing.expertjournals.com/23446773-1001/
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AT apostolosskotis consumerrelianceonalternativedigitaltouchpointsthroughoutthebuyingprocess