I began with a mind-map (always the best way to start!) and jotted down a few different points, extending into branches as my ideas began to form. My initial ideas surrounded retailers, consumers and social media, which I expect will form the three segments of my presentation. In terms of retailers, I wondered how the performance of those that really utilise digital experiences in their stores and online compares with those that don't and whether there is a clear pattern in consumer engagement because of this. I also wondered about where developments will go next and whether developments so far were ever even predicted. With regards to the consumers, I questioned why they want digital experiences and what effects it has on them in terms of their expectations. I would like to explore the idea of digital retail as a shift in cultural norms, as the shopping experience has changed dramatically with customers' optimised experiences at the heart of the transition. I would also like to investigate the future role of social media in retail, questioning whether the purpose of platforms will change overtime to become even more integrative in terms of cross-channel marketing.
I began my search for academic materials by utilising the Summon tool to find relevant books, journals and e-documents. Below are my initial secondary research findings:
This journal article discusses Amazon's position as an aspirational goal for the 'bricks and mortar' retails to aim to achieve, in order to meet the successes of its online competitors. It is a fairly recent excerpt and therefore discusses the topic from a current perspective, therefore it is a relevant and reliable piece of information from which to refer to. Amazon's advancements haven't gone unnoticed by me this past year and formed a foundation on which to explore the topic further. A couple of quotes from the text which I think may be useful include "The struggles between brick- and-mortar retailers and their online offspring continue. More precisely, the competition shows no signs of abating — or reaching any conclusion. If anything, it has gathered momentum, with the insertion of Amazon as the tar- get of brick-and-mortar retailers seeking to build a viable online business" and "Digital retailing is a complex business. Brick-and-mortar rules don’t necessarily apply. In fact, what works for one doesn’t necessarily work for the other. More than that, it sometimes works against the other."
Denegri‐Knott, J. & Molesworth, M. (2010). Concepts and Practices of Digital Consumption. Consumption Markets & Culture, 13 (2), 109-132. doi: 10.1080/10253860903562130.
This journal article really made me think about the perspective of the consumer in digital retail and virtual technologies, especially from a cultural point of view. It discussed the driver of consumer imagination in the development of digital worlds and virtual reality, using the Sims as an illustration. I think that these examples can be reinforced in the discussion of digital retail too, especially in arguments of luxury fashion which has seen momentous change as luxury brands introduce digital experience to their shopping experiences. Excerpts of use are as follows:
- "The recognition of the role of imagination in consumer behaviour"
- "Over time, consumers have learnt to place more emphasis on the imaginary aspects of the consumption experience where functional utility is either taken for granted or seen as irrelevant."
- "Ebay is an illustration of a blurring of consumption and production. Perhaps collaboration is a useful term to describe the relationship between eBay and its users. Many eBay users sell as well as browse and buy."
- "Consumers may explore ownership of a range of luxury commodities that exist in material form, and are therefore possible, but that they are extremely unlikely to ever acquire outside of the digital virtual; this may be extended to fantastical domains where the virtual digital rep representation is not a stand in for physical goods, but rather stimulates something abstract."
Vrechopoulos, A. (2009). Virtual reality retailing on the web: emerging consumer behavioural patterns. The International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research, 19 (5), 469-482. doi: 10.1080/09593960903445194.
This journal article described virtual reality on the web, discussing its effects, positives and negatives. I drew a lot of comparisons here between virtual reality on the web and virtual reality in-stores.
"Research in this field is in its infancy"
"Virtual reality settings provide today an innovative shopping medium"
"A virtual reality environment through the Web includes a tactile dimension, but obviously this is limited when compared to the physical environment"
"A conventional retail store cannot customise store layout to the individual level but can offer a one-to-one shopping experience in other store domains"
aspects of the consumption experience where functional utility is either taken for
granted or seen as
experience where functional utility is eisn 1988) (cf. Campbell 1987; McCracken
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