Validating a Proposed Model on the Factors that Influence Consumers' Unique Phygital and Memorable Shopping Experiences in Phygital Retail Outlets

Abstract

Our study, grounds in Social Exchange Theory, examines how customer needs, hedonic factors, cross-channel integration, and consumer experiences impact the physical shopping experience. The research aim is to validate a proposed model by surveying Greek consumers at phygital stores and examining the moderating effects of gender and generation to strengthen the foundation for future research. We survey 229 Greek consumers using a structured questionnaire, testing twelve hypotheses—eight were supported. Consumer needs, expectations, and experiences in phygital shopping are positively correlated, according to our findings, which are confirmed by linear regression and confirmatory factor analysis. Notably, hedonic factors improve interactions with customers, especially in distinctive retail settings. Additionally, we find a positive but non-linear relationship between cross-channel integration and customer experiences that is consistent across generations and genders. For marketing scholars and marketing managers in the retail sector, this study has important implications.

Keywords

• phygital retail
• phygital shopping experience
• customer experience
• hedonic factors
• cross-channel integration
• explainable artificial intelligence