2018 Volume 69 Issue 2 Pages 61-76
The objectives of this research are to compare and analyze the consciousness and behaviors of two consumer types: Online-to-Offline (O2O)-type consumers who research goods and services online but make purchases offline (i.e., at physical stores) and N2N-type consumers who both research and make purchases online (i.e., at online shops). Thereafter, suggestions are made for inducing consumers to offline shopping. To achieve these objectives, six hypotheses on the differences between the two consumer types were proposed and a consumer research was undertaken to test these hypotheses. Sample data of 600 participants were taken with an even dispersion in age and gender. From the test results, the authors found that O2O-type consumers are more interested in goods and services, collect information on goods and services, and send information more often than N2N-type consumers. The authors also found that the O2O-type consumer uses a smart phone or a mobile phone for shopping information research more frequently. Furthermore, by constructing a purchasing process model using structural equation modeling (SEM), the authors found that the model proceeds as interest, attention, search, action and share (IASAS), with a stronger impact of smart phones on consumers who purchase goods and services offline. Lastly, based on the test results of the hypotheses and the SEM model, some helpful suggestions are offered to motivate consumers away from online shopping to offline shopping; for example, by making it possible to have in-store comparisons of similar items or by having a large stock for consumers who would like to take and test them at home.
