Young consumers’ tendency to use a smartphone as decision-support inside clothing stores

Abstract

This study explores young consumers’ tendency to use a smartphone to support decisions in a clothing store. A cluster analysis is conducted based on results from a student survey. The findings generated three tentative clusters, namely the occasional users, the digitally assisted and the conventional shoppers. Comparing prices online with a smartphone while inside the store seems to be the main differentiator between the groups. These findings are important for retailers that strive to defend from showrooming effects and create new customer experiences from mobile technology solutions. Managerial and practical implications are discussed, together with future research.