Abstract

The research focuses on the issue of showrooming, that is the buying behavior adopted by consumers who first resort to the physical store to learn about, gather information about, and experience a certain product, and then move to the online channel to finalize the purchase by taking advantage of any price differences, promotions, and favorable post-purchase conditions. The phenomenon raises many concerns among retailers, as it challenges systems for analyzing and monitoring the effectiveness, performance and profitability of physical stores. The study, through a between-subject experimental analysis conducted among 440 consumers, compares three different products (hairdryer, smartphone and sunglasses) tests a mediated moderation model. The results show how the product-consumer relationship, in terms of the nature of engagement, configures a different search for personal benefits, safety, and purchase assistance. These mediators exert contrasting influences on individuals’ propensity to engage in showrooming. In particular, the self-expression dimension of the product appears to feed particular patterns, even to the moderation of an extremely topical consumer trait, environmental concern. The theme of omnichannel solutions is thus intertwined with that of sustainability, bringing out different theoretical and managerial implications.