• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.13 no.9
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• pp.81-93
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• 2015

Purpose - "Showrooming" refers to the phenomenon where a shopper visits a store to see and compare products but makes the purchase online at a lower price. Surveys on showrooming activities at home and abroad indicate that a significant number of consumers pursue showrooming activities. The advent of "showroomers," who engage in buying activities, hovering both on and offline, while selectively choosing sales channels to suit their needs, is powerful enough to erode the borders between channels and bring about seismic changes in the distribution industry. However, surprisingly, there has been no in-depth discussion on showrooming. This study seeks to theoretically investigate what impact personal characteristics have on showrooming preferences and attitudes in a multi-channel environment. Specifically, assumptions have been made that price perception, perceived performance risk, and trust in online shopping not only have a direct impact on showrooming attitudes but also indirectly affect it through the means of contact motivation. Research design, data, and methodology - To test the hypotheses, this study conducted a survey of male and female shoppers, ages 20 through 40s, who live in metropolitan areas, and have actively showroomed fashion items in the last six months. A clothing item usually purchased after a careful decision-making process was chosen as the target product of the study. The survey was conducted between October and November 2014, using a professional survey service provider. A total of 200 surveys were collected, of which 198 were used for analysis. Conceptual model Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and Amos 18.0 were employed for data analysis and model verification. In addition, following the confirmatory factor analysis and measurement model analysis, the theoretical model that corresponds to the research model was analyzed. Results - Analysis results show that price perception, perceived performance risk, and trust in online shopping have a statistically significant and positive (+) impact on showrooming attitudes. In addition, in terms of the indirect influence of price perception and perceived performance risk on showrooming attitudes through means of contact motivation, price perception had a statistically significant and positive impact on means of contact motivation, whereas perceived performance risk did not have a statistically significant impact on it, with the relevant hypothesis rejected. Conclusions - These analysis results imply that the ultimate goal of consumers is to maximize their shopping benefits by selectively and strategically taking advantage of different channels in a complementary manner. This study presents many implications for distributors to encourage a deep understanding of showrooming consumers who have complicated consumption behaviors and to build channel integration strategies. This study has limitations in theoretical and practical implications. Therefore, subsequent studies need to focus on verifying that showrooming activities are based on reasonable and planned decisions by applying the theory of reasoned or planned behavior. In addition, the scope of the study should expand to include web showrooming, where consumers conduct product research online and purchase offline.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.77-84
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• 2015

According to a recent survey, the sales amount of luxuries and imitations is getting larger. Especially young consumers in 2,30's have a strong desire to own luxuries, so I tried to build a theoretical base on the 20's consuming trend. Meanwhile, targeting university students who represent consumers in 20's, I investigated the recognition of luxuries, shopping experience, main shopping items, monthly spending money, and future purchase intention. I also investigated shopping experience of imitation, main shopping items, purchase reasons, and future purchase intention. I tried to suggest lots of academic and practical implications in marketing strategy building of luxury brand, aiming young consumers in 20's. On the social-psychological view point, young generation have relatively weak sense of control or self-efficacy. So, they are easily submerged in conspicuous consumption by the atmosphere around. As a result of empirical research, I found that Korean students recognized luxuries as excellent in quality, or the world famous brand. In particular, statistically significant gender difference was shown in the luxuries characteristics as the high-quality brand for male students and the world famous brand for female students. Most respondents have experience buying luxuries. And more monthly spending money, more experience they have. Respondents' purchased items were in order of fashion goods, clothing, watches/jewelry, cosmetics/perfume. And the statistically significant differences between gender and monthly spending money were shown. Not many respondents purchased luxuries imitations, and main purchased items were fashion goods. Most of purchase motives are price over quality and economy reason. The phenomena that the respondents of relatively high levels of monthly spending money had lots of luxuries imitations shopping experiences is interesting. Female students showed higher purchase intention for luxuries and imitations than male students. There was no statistically significant difference in grade level, but was found something interesting in monthly spending money. As monthly spending money increased, the purchase intention of luxuries increased, but the purchase intention of luxuries imitations decreased. However, non-linear trend was shown in the specific allowance level. This is replicate of the luxuries imitations purchase experience. Following studies will be needed for the exact interpretation for this. This study is an exploratory and descriptive, but can provide lots of fruitful academic and practical implications in formulating luxuries marketing strategies.