Reciprocal Effects of Touchpoint Nature in Omnichannel Commerce on Customer Experience and Behavior

Although we received knowledge that touchpoints affect each other and interdependently shape customer experience and behavior, our empirical knowledge of such relationships in omnichannel firms is limited. This paper fills this research gap by extending the applications of information integration theory to analyze whether interdependent relationships exist between the most useful physical, digital, and human touchpoints across consumers’ journeys and how they affect customer experience and repurchase intentions differently. Study 1 addresses such reciprocity and reciprocal effects of the nature of touchpoints across three consumer journeys through the application of longitudinal data from 542 individuals in cross-lagged panel models. Study 2 tests the same touchpoints independently and cross-sectionally to reveal the shortcomings of omitted reciprocity. Study 1 suggests that the most useful physical, digital, and human touchpoints are reciprocally linked and affect customer experience and indirect behavior differently. The results strongly differ in the boundary condition check of Study 2, in further stability checks, and in an exploratory comparison of utilitarian vs hedonistic consumers. This paper contributes to the literature by theoretically addressing a previously neglected research area. Most useful touchpoints are interdependently observed and differently interpreted and integrated into important mental reactions and observable responses of consumers who are shopping at omnichannel firms. The results provide theoretical and practical guidance for scholars and managers considering the role of the most useful touchpoints for customer experience from a consumer perspective.