Do multicanal ao omnichannel: integração de canais e brand equity no varejo

Abstract

The emergence of new channels, represented by social media, mobile devices, geolocation-based applications and, most recently, wearable and augmented reality technologies, have made online and offline experiences indistinct and broadening the points of contact between consumers and organizations. Thus, considering the offer of products and services in more than one marketing channel seems to have become imperative to innovation, to face the inadequate infrastructure of emerging countries such as Brazil and to improve the level of services offered by retailers installed in regions considered strategic for the flow of goods, with high added value by retail activities and with a significant number of commercial establishments, such as the mesoregions of Alto Paranaíba, south of Goiás and Triângulo Mineiro. Moreover, it is argued that in addition to adopting multichannel marketing channels must be fully integrated by adopting an omnichannel strategy. The literature suggests that consumer-perceived multichannel integration (MCI) can impact the dimensions of Consumer-Based Retailer Equity (CBRE), a brand assessment model that measures brand recall, brand associations, perceived quality, and brand loyalty of retailers. In this perspective, the present study aims to analyze multichannel retail integration and consumer brand equity of multi-channel retailers. To do so, the research was divided into two stages, one of exploratory character and the other of a descriptive character. Through documentary analysis and survey with 178 consumers, the exploratory study allowed to identify the main changes occurred in Brazilian retail between 1970 and 2017; the profile and behavior of multichannel consumers in the context of the Alto Paranaíba, south of Goiás and Triângulo Mineiro mesoregions, and retailers that adopt the multi-channel strategy in the perception of these consumers. The consolidation of these results guided the following descriptive step and allowed, through documentary analysis, observation and survey with 384 consumers of these mesoregions, to describe the main strategies and technologies of multichannel integration declared by these companies; analyze the level of perceived multichannel integration on the part of consumers and how these consumers evaluate the brands of these retailers. The results showed that Brazilian retail is in a process of transition from the multi to the omnicanality, due to the emergence of technologies that have been inserted in the consumer behavior of the mesoregion, characterized by the widespread use of the internet, e-commerce, mobile devices and social networks in search and purchase processes. Despite this, it was identified that these consumers do not seem to use the multiple channels in an integrated way, since practices like buying on the internet and withdrawing, exchanging or returning products in the physical store were not significant. The most cited brands by the sample were Americanas, Magazine Luiza, Casas Bahia and Saraiva, who declared integration strategies consistent with the SO-LO-MO approach of Hüseyinoğlu, Galipoğlu and Kotzab (2017): physical store formats based on local preferences; installation of kiosks in physical stores to access online channels; purchase services on the internet and withdrawal at the physical store; development and enhancement of mobile applications; presence in social networks and C2C commerce initiatives. These strategies appears to be supported by the unification of sales, information and payment software; adoption and/or enhancement of marketplace platforms; acquisition of technology companies; creation of technology labs, investments in big data and data science software, as well as the adoption of geofencing technologies, QR code readers and online payment technologies. On regional context, visits to four physical stores of these brands, located in the city of Uberlândia-MG, the practices could be partially confirmed. Regarding the perceived multichannel integration, based on the model of Frasquet and Miquel (2017), it was identified that the majority of consumers of the two most cited brands in the first survey (Americanas and Magazine Luiza) perceived a low level of reciprocity (possibility of switching between channels during the buying process) and coordination (level of alignment between online and offline offerings), although these companies declare the adoption of strategies and technologies for this purpose. In relation to brand equity based on these consumers, the application results of the model developed by Pappu and Quester (2006) allowed to identify that the brands were evaluated positively in the constructs: awareness, associations and perceived quality, but presented low performance in the variables of the loyalty construct. The Exploratory Factor Analysis allowed to infer that the variables of the constructs are grouped in a similar way to the original scales. In general, the study contributed to a better understanding of multichannel integration and brand equity in retail, by exploring the issue from the perspective of consumer behavior. As for its managerial contribution, it contributed with a diagnosis of the disparity between multichannel integration practices perceived by the sample of consumers and practices declared by the companies.