Adoption and Impact of QR-codes in an Omnichannel Customer Experience; The Perspective of Consumer Electronics

Abstract

Physical retailers are struggling to compete against digital players. Providing a positive omnichannel customer experience instore has become a vigorous strategy to stay competitive in today’s retail environment. QR-codes can offer a wide variety of digital information almost instantaneously. Retailers of consumer electronics are suggested to benefit from this easy access to information by responding to consumers need for interactive and personalized experiences. QR-codes are especially suitable in the prepurchase stage of the customer journey, in which consumers consider and evaluate products. Moreover, QR-codes has had a revival due to its potential during the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite this, there is still an ongoing discussion about the adoption of QR-codes and a lack of empirical insight on the impact of QR-codes on the omnichannel customer experience as well as a lack of studies that take a holistic approach to investigate QR-codes in a consumer electronics setting. The objective of this study was therefore to fill this knowledge gap by answering the following research questions: (1) why consumers adopt or resist QR-codes, and (2) which QR-code information and features provides experiential value and influences purchase intention in consumer electronics.

In answering the first question, a theoretical framework was developed, which extends the Technology Acceptance Model with functional and physiological barriers from the Innovation Resistance Theory, as well as potential moderating factors like age, gender, and personal innovativeness. One or more hypotheses for each construct were based on extensive literature review, and the framework was tested in a cross-sectional survey study. In answering the second question, an experiential value and purchase intention framework was built upon theories on customer experience. Based on literature regarding omnichannel behavior, QRcodes, and shopper-facing technology, it was assumed that more digitalized and personalized information and features were preferred by consumers. This assumption was tested using conjoint analysis.

The findings from the cross-sectional survey shows that QR-code adoption is primarily driven by perceived enjoyment, perceived usefulness, compatibility, and age. The findings from the conjoint analysis generally indicate that less digitalized and personalized information and features can add experiential value and that more digitalized and personalized trigger purchase intention. Features such as personalized reviews should especially be consider by retailers as this was important across both experiential value and purchase intention. In conclusion, retailers should focus on both utilitarian and hedonic benefits of QR-codes and ensure that the touchpoints fit with consumers’ shopping behavior and age. Retailers must also be aware that there are differences in the preferences for what can create experiential value and purchase intention, and they should carefully consider the purpose for which QR-codes are implemented and allow this to guide them in what information and features they apply.