This research aims to explore whether omnichannel recommendations are always better than single-channel recommendations.
Three experiments were conducted in this study. Study 1 explored the moderating role of consumers’ inter-channel self-consistency in the effect of personalized recommendation on repurchase intention. Study 2 examined the parallel mediations of shopping convenience and privacy anxiety. Study 3 ruled out alternative explanations.
Results showed that when consumers’ inter-channel-self is consistent, omnichannel recommendations result in similar repurchase intentions as single-channel recommendations. When consumers’ inter-channel-self is inconsistent, omnichannel recommendations lead to lower repurchase intentions. Shopping convenience and privacy anxiety parallelly mediated this effect.
This research makes retailers aware that omnichannel recommendations do not always yield better results than single-channel recommendations. Retailers should consider consumers’ inter-channel self-consistency and ensure their personalized recommendations can balance shopping convenience and privacy anxiety.
This research enriches personalized recommendation research by simultaneously examining single-channel and omnichannel recommendations. It also extends the application of congruity theory and provides novel insights into retailers’ personalized recommendations and customer retention.
