How to identify and avoid channel cannibalization

What is it about?

This study shows that in a multichannel environment, conflicts (dissynergies) between service channels exist. Building on status quo bias theory, the authors develop a model that relates offline channel satisfaction to perceptions about a new self-service channel. Data were collected from 639 customers currently using offline investment banking.

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Photo by Matthew Guay on Unsplash

Photo by Matthew Guay on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Results show that offline channel satisfaction reduces the perceived usefulness and enhances the perceived risk of the online channel. These inhibiting effects represent a status quo bias. Trust in the bank shows both adoption-enhancing effects and an adoption-inhibiting effect. Finally, the negative relationship between offline channel satisfaction and perceived usefulness is significantly stronger for men, older people, and less experienced Internet users. This study has both theoretical and managerial relevance as it helps to understand consumer behavior in multichannel environments and provides implications for the design of multichannel service strategies.