Background: Retailing through Virtual Reality (VR) is faced with a dilemma of potential customers using the VR to look for products online, but somehow do not make a purchase online and prefer to visit the physical stores instead. This phenomenon is referred as Transition Risk. Aim: To develop an understanding regarding the concepts and factors that influence the occurrence of transition risk by using UTAUT2 framework. Identify those concepts and thus be able to assist retailers in diminishing the transition risk gap. Methodology: Is a quantitative study that involves an experiment followed by a questionnaire as the research instrument. The data was analyzed through regression analysis by using SmartPLS 3.0 as the data analysis tool for SEM. An exploratory research design for the cross-sectional study of a small sample of 45 people experimented. Findings: Findings of the research suggest that transition risk has a direct relation with the UTAUT2 constructs: performance expectancy, effort expectancy, facilitating conditions, social influence, hedonic motivation, and habit of the consumer. Moreover, absence of familiarity with VR retailing, social influence and consumer’s habit of web-rooming and retail therapy are significant contributors towards transition risk. Furthermore, UTAUT2 framework can also be used to identify reason for no usage and/or abandoning of use technology.

Purpose: In the past two decades, shopping online has grown at a rapid pace, and it had a significant impact on every player in the retail industry from a small retailer to large retail chains. The retailers were forced to redefine the way they operate by managing various channels to reach their consumers. This study explores the obstacles that small retailers are facing while transitioning to omnichannel retailing and identify the capabilities required to overcome the obstacles. Main research questions: 1. What market pressures do small retailers experience with the change in consumer shopping behavior? 2. What are the obstacles that small retailers face while transitioning into omnichannel retailing? 3. Which capabilities assist the small retailers in overcoming the obstacles that they are facing while transitioning into omnichannel retailing? Methodology: This thesis has conducted multiple case studies. In the study, eight small retailers located in Uppsala and Stockholm are the main research participants. After reviewing the relevant literature and collecting empirical data via interviews, we categorized the findings into different themes. And analyzed the empirical findings by using the dynamic capability framework. Findings: The findings from the study reveal that retailers encountered challenges associated with managing channel integration, lack of availability of resources, and skills necessary for transforming into omnichannel retailing, which aligns with findings from the literature. In addition to that, the study found obstacles that small retailers have abundant responsibilities within their small organization. They perceive low returns on technology investments and have complications associated with it. Furthermore, small retailers have limited knowledge of the use of advanced technologies.

Small business enterprise (SBE) managers often lack resources, expertise, and impact when selling in an online environment. SBEs can overcome increased competition by adopting customer relationship management (CRM) into their business model for survival and longevity. Using the conceptual framework technology, organization, environment (TOE), this multiple case study explored effective marketing strategies that small store retail managers use to successfully sell apparel and accessories in online markets. The study population included leaders from independent small online retail enterprises with brick-and-mortar stores located in the Central, Tri-Cities, or Southside areas in Virginia. The data collection process included semistructured, on-site interviews of 4 SBE owners or managers and reviewing organizational documents and online postings from those 4 organizations. Using topic coding, the data were organized into nodes grounded in the context of TOE. The thematic analysis yielded 5 themes: social media engagement, price congruency, organizational knowledge benefit, customer satisfaction, and customer engagement. The study findings revealed that a significant strategy for SBEs operating in online markets was social CRM, an inexpensive and critical tool for CRM. Further, CRM tools such as social media required consistent monitoring and the devotion of financial and human resources to deliver constant customer engagement. The implication for social change includes the potential to improve the life cycle of SBEs in smaller communities, which improves community entrepreneurial and startup success. Entrepreneurship contributes to community vitality and economic prosperity by providing employment, skill development, and job training.

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore last mile delivery practices among large and medium Swedish omni-channel (OC) retailers and e-tailers. Also, the study aims at analyzing what similarities and differences exist between the two types of retailers. Method: A literature review was carried out in order to gain more knowledge about the topic and develop a theoretical framework, used for analyzing data. Also, a quantitative study was conducted through electronic surveys (secondary data) and website observations (primary data). The 100 retailers were large and medium OC retailers and e-tailers and were selected based on a probability sample.  Findings: The study has shown that there are plenty of similarities and differences between the two kinds of retailers. Some of the delivery practices and options that OC retailers and e-tailers perform similarly are unattended HD (unattended home delivery), attached C&C (click and collect), drop shipping, free solitary C&C (click and collect). There are also differences between retailers when it comes to attended HD, time slot, eco delivery or LTL-Courier (Less Than Truckload-courier). E-tailers offer more competitive remote deliveries with more free remote delivery options. OC retailers leverage on both store network and remote delivery services. Thus, OC retailers can learn how to cope with e-commerce growth and adapt their delivery services as e-tailers do. Limitations: This study has a geographical focus on Swedish OC retailers and e-tailers. The data that was collected has been limited to the logistics variables: delivery mode, velocity, time slot, slot price differentiation, delivery fee, eco delivery, picking location, delivery area and transport service. Theoretical implications: This study is an important step towards contributing to academic theoretical literature regarding last mile delivery practices. Based on the previous frameworks, new logistical variables were added, such as more velocities, delivery fee, eco delivery and drop shipping. These contributions were helpful in the process of exploring characteristics about retailers and how they differ from each other. Managerial implications: This research is valuable for managers and retailers in order to find the best logistical strategy. It could be beneficial for OC retailers who face challenges that e-commerce brings and compete with e-tailers. Keywords: Last-mile delivery, Retailing, Omni-channel, E-tailers, E-commerce. Paper type: Research paper

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(経済学) / 甲第21520号 / 経博第588号 / 新制||経||288(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院経済学研究科経済学専攻 / (主査)教授 久野 秀二, 教授 黒澤 隆文, 講師 久野 愛 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Economics / Kyoto University / DFAM

Battery-Electric Vehicles (BEVs) are gaining increasing momentum and their adoption is projected to continue at a rapid pace. In contrast to the predominate vehicle type, Internal-Combustion Engine Vehicles (ICEVs), the BEVs rely on electricity rather than conventional fuels for propulsion. For the fuel retailers, the actors managing fuel stations and supply fuel to vehicle users, the shift towards BEVs may impose a demand decline for their core product. One way of mitigating the effects of this transition for fuel retailers, has been attributed to the provision of charging for electric vehicles in fuel stations, something that is offered to a limited extent by a few fuel retailers in Sweden today. The purpose of this study has been to explore the main challenges associated with the provision of fast charging in Swedish fuel stations.  Anchored in a study of the four largest fuel retailers in Sweden, the findings suggest that the provision of fast charging is subject to financial challenges in terms of long investments horizons, with the associated investment risk being negatively influenced by uncertainties of technology development, future price levels for fast charging and future utilization rates of the chargers. Furthermore, with the lack of direct financial incentives of charging sales in the short-term, other motives have been observed for the provision of fast charging, namely goodwill and traffic building. The prevalence of different types of fuel retail formats have been shown to influence the extent of which benefits can be claimed from fast charging provision, and that this is manifested in a bias towards certain formats and locations for the choice of fuel stations to provide fast charging in. Challenges have also been identified in the sense of fulfillment of necessary preconditions to facilitate a business model suitable for fast charging provision. The study concludes that the main challenges revolve around the attainment of a financially sustainable business case for fast chargers. / Elfordon blir allt mer populära och utvecklingen förväntas försätta i hög takt. I kontrast med den vanligast förekommande motortekniken för vägfordon, förbränningsmotorn, så använder elfordon just el istället för konventionella bränslen för framdrift. För drivmedelsbolagen, de aktörer som ansvarar för drivmedelstationer och tillhandhåller drivmedel till fordonsanvändare, kan en övergång mot elfordon innebära en minskad efterfrågan på deras kärnprodukt. Ett sätt att hantera konsekvenserna av en minskad efterfrågan på drivmedel, har tillskrivits tillhandahållandet av laddning för elfordon på drivmedelsstationerna, ett erbjudande som idag tillhandahålls av ett fåtal drivmedelsbolag på ett begränsat antal stationer i Sverige. Syftet med den här studien har varit att undersöka de huvudsakliga utmaningarna med tillhandhållandet av snabbladdning på drivmedelsstationer i Sverige.  Baserat på en studie av de fyra största drivmedelsbolagen i Sverige, pekar resultaten på att tillhandahållandet av snabbladdning medför stora finansiella utmaningar. Detta innefattar långa investeringshorisonter, med en investeringsrisk som påverkas negativt av osäkerheter kring teknikutveckling, framtida prisnivåer för snabbladdning och framtida användningsgrad av snabbladdare. Med en avsaknad av direkt kortsiktig finansiell vinning från försäljning av snabbladdning, så har det framgått att det finns andra motiv för tillhandahållandet av snabbladdning, det handlar då om kundflöde och goodwill. Förekomsten av olika stationsformat för drivmedelsförsäljning har visat sig påverka till vilken grad skapat värde från snabbladdningserbjudandet kan tillgodoses, och att det har påverkat val av stationsformat och plats för tillhandahållandet av snabbladdning. Ytterligare utmaningar har identifierats gällande att skapa nödvändiga förutsättningarna för att möjliggöra en affärsmodell anpassad för snabbladdning. En slutsats har dragits att de huvudsakliga utmaningarna med tillhandahållandet av snabbladdning handlar om att uppnå en finansiellt hållbar affär.

This dissertation studies asymmetric pricing in the small (APIS), where small price increases outnumber small price decreases, the asymmetry disappearing for larger price changes; and the corresponding reversed phenomenon (APIS-R). Current evidence suggests retailers deploy these pricing practices despite menu costs and potential consumer concerns. There is also evidence that inflation is only a partial contributor to the phenomena. These point to possible strategic intent driving these retail pricing practices. However, there are only a few papers in the domain, and none specifically address the cross-sectional and longitudinal variations. Further, existing results are mostly based on a single retailer, limited products, short time span, and legacy datasets dating back to the 1980s and 1990s, leaving their current relevance unsettled. Recent papers also question if small price changes are measurement artifacts. This dissertation addresses these gaps by analyzing several large contemporary datasets – a scanner dataset with more than 79 billion price observations and a matching consumer panel dataset with more than 50,000 participating panelists. Our key results imply the pricing practices can be retailers’ strategic responses to the cognitive tasks faced by consumers. Chapter 1 is a general introduction to the thesis. Chapter 2 sets up the fundamentals of the phenomena and reports robust evidence of APIS and APIS-R across the retail price spectrum. Chapter 3 examines the cross-sectional variations of the phenomena and finds that APIS and APIS-R are associated with product characteristics such as purchase frequency and category price level, as well as retail format such as HILO or EDLP. Chapter 4 explores the longitudinal variations and finds that business cycles are a major time-varying factor influencing retail practices of APIS and APIS-R. Chapter 5 concludes with reflections on the findings, implications for theory and practice, limitations, and suggestions for future studies. / Dissertation / Candidate in Philosophy / This dissertation studies asymmetric pricing in the small (APIS), where small price increases outnumber small price decreases, the asymmetry disappearing for larger price changes; and the corresponding reversed phenomenon (APIS-R). There are only a few papers in the domain, and none explain their cross-sectional and longitudinal variations. Existing results are mostly based on a single retailer, limited products, short time span, and legacy datasets dating back to the 1980s and 1990s, leaving their current relevance unsettled. Recent papers also question if small price changes are measurement artifacts. This dissertation addresses these gaps by analyzing several large contemporary datasets. The research finds robust evidence of both APIS and APIS-R in the retail price spectrum, and provides explanations for their cross-sectional variation, across products and retailers, as well as longitudinal variations, across business cycles. The results indicate the pricing practices can be retailers’ strategic responses to the cognitive tasks faced by consumers.

Purpose - The purpose of this thesis is to first describe and secondly to create a deeper understanding of what purpose a store has in omnichannel retailing. It is important to clarify that the study is to be of use for companies as to help them understand their customers' perspective. And how to adapt their omnichannel strategy when one of their channels gets affected. This is to see if a new model is viable in a post pandemic world. Methodology - The study applied a qualitative method where semi-structured interviews was held with employees and with consumers. Findings - The stores’ main purpose during the pandemic has been to act as a hybrid warehouse where you can view the product before fully purchasing it or to utilise BOPIS. The store has also had to change and adapt accordingly. Ultimately the store has proven to stand firm and showed that it still has a place in the market. Practical Implications - The current pandemic has made it more important for retailers to identify when showrooming or reverse showrooming is used. Therefore, a more in-depth analysis on the different approaches to minimise the usage of showrooming and reverse showrooming is necessary. As our findings from data and literature both cases suggest that price and product evaluation are the main reasons why consumers are showrooming. We can draw the conclusion that showrooming, and reverse showrooming is used mainly because of the price and evaluation of the product. Retailers should therefore introduce sales strategies to gain customers in the competitive market and minimise the risk for customers to use showrooming or reverse showrooming. Contribution - This study contributes to the young research area by assessing the effects that showrooming and reverse showrooming may have on retailers. And how to adapt their omnichannel strategy when one of their channels gets affected.

This study aims to explore the impact of COVID-19 on consumer buying behavior and shifts in retail business models within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in response to the challenges introduced by the pandemic. The study had several objectives, including examining the global impact of the pandemic on retail consumers, analyzing variations in the effect on luxury and essential products, investigating the strategies employed by physical store retailers to address the consequences of COVID-19, and providing recommendations for retailers to operate sustainably in the future. To achieve these objectives, the study utilized a mixed-methods approach, integrating quantitative and qualitative research. Data was collected from 180 consumer respondents via a quantitative survey questionnaire and from eight retailers through one-on-one interviews. Reliability analysis was conducted using Cronbach's Alpha. Subsequently, the data was evaluated through frequency and cross-tabulation methods, while interview transcripts served to corroborate and contrast the quantitative findings. The study revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic significantly altered consumer shopping patterns. There was a heightened demand for groceries, essentials, health and hygiene products, while non-essentials and luxury items experienced reduced demand. Consumers showed a preference for online retail platforms over traditional brick-and-mortar stores. Based on these findings, Saudi Arabian retailers are advised to exploit a hybrid model, blending online and physical stores in the post-COVID period, and to establish multiple online sales touchpoints. Luxury retailers, in particular, are encouraged to diversify their portfolio range to include value-for-money options, leverage social media marketing to promote their offerings and improve consumer perceptions around online purchasing, specifically in delivery and return policies.

Nearly every element of human life has a strong narrative component, from music (Kramer, 1991, McClary, 1997) to psychology (McAdams, 2008; Sarbin, 1986) to museums (Austin, 2010) and beyond. In the marketing of products, particularly products online, narratives may be a severely underutilized resource. As the global pandemic has shifted consumption increasingly online (Ecola et al., 2020, Melton, 2020), marketers are challenged to find new ways to make their product appealing to consumers without the ability of physical experiences that help connect a consumer to a product (Thaler, 1980; Peck and Shu, 2009). One way in which product attachment and differentiation may be generated is through product-level narratives. The influence of narratives at a product level, particularly in online product descriptions, has yet to be explored. In this dissertation, I use the theoretical framework of Narrative Transportation Theory to examine the impact of narrative-based product descriptions on consumers’ responses to products. Specifically, I show that product-level narratives can positively influence consumer’s attitudes toward a product and can even create the impression that a product is customized to an individual. Through these effects, I show that product-level narratives may increase consumers’ attachment to products and their willingness to pay a premium price for these products. I also demonstrate that product-level narratives may be used to create perceptions of product personality types. In particular, I look at whether the personality of the main character in a narrative may be imprinted onto the product in the narrative. Furthermore, I seek to extend the bounds of Narrative Transportation Theory by examining product names and images that are evocative of narrative thought. I show that while product names may not be enough to stimulate consumer transportation among readers, product images may stimulate consumer transportation into a narrative and influence consumers’ willingness to pay a premium price for a product through the same mechanisms as a textual narrative product description. Lastly, implications for theory and practice are discussed.