Emerging digital technologies and consumer decision-making in retail sector: Towards an integrative conceptual framework

• Published in: Computers in human behavior 2023-11, Vol.148, p.107913, Article 107913
• Main Authors: Sharma, Piyush, Ueno, Akiko, Dennis, Charles, Turan, Ceyda Paydas
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Artificial intelligence; Augmented reality; Consumer decision-making; Digital technologies; Mixed reality; Virtual reality
• ISSN: 0747-5632; 1873-7692
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2023.107913

This paper explores the influence of digital technologies on the consumer decision-making in retail sector with two online survey-based studies. Study 1 identifies unique attributes of six digital technologies, including two current (Internet and Mobile Platform) and four emerging (Artificial Intelligence, Augmented, Mixed and Virtual Reality) technologies. Study two focuses on older consumers to understand their decision-making process when shopping for products or services using new digital technologies. We extend the AISAS (Awareness, Interest, Search, Action, and Sharing) model to show that with digital technologies, consumer decision journey is no longer linear. For example, attention can lead directly to action, without going through the interest or search stages. Similarly, purchase can lead to sharing that may lead to loyalty and psychological engagement, and reinforce attention. We found no significant difference in these effects between older and younger consumers. Besides providing useful insights about consumer decision-making process with emerging digital technologies for future academic researchers, these results also give useful ideas to marketing practitioners interested in introducing these emerging technologies to deliver superior value to their customers. •Emerging digital technologies are changing consumer decision-making process.•We explore this phenomenon in retail shopping context using two online studies.•Study one identifies and categorizes unique attributes of digital technologies.•Study two confirms non-linear consumer decision-making with digital technologies.•No influence of consumers' age on their decision-making with digital technologies.