Classification of Mobile App Users in Multi-Channel Retail - an Exploratory Analysis

Abstract

The retail industry is facing the challenge of digitization. On the one hand, the share of online shopping in total retail sales is increasing. On the other hand, consumers increasingly expect digital services. At the same time, the spread of smartphones and therefore also mobile apps has been growing for years. More and more retailers are therefore offering mobile apps, which as multi-channel apps combine aspects of online shopping and stationary retail. While the acceptance and use of mobile apps has already been extensively researched, there is little knowledge about the users themselves and user-types. This explorative research classifies users of mobile apps in multi-channel retail. Based on a survey of 101 consumers who were asked to assess the personal relevance of various app functions in a multi-channel retail context, four user types can be identified with the help of a cluster analysis. The results provide practitioners with important information for the future development of mobile apps in retail.