臺大管理論叢第31卷第3期

163 NTU Management Review Vol. 31 No. 3 Dec. 2021 1. Introduction One of the most manifest fluctuations in the retailing environment is the multiplication of channels through which customers can seek information and purchase products or services (Melis, Campo, Breugelmans, and Lamey, 2015). Bernon, Cullen, and Gorst (2016) indicate that the merging of online and offline retailing has led to the current emergence of the multichannel conext offering customers a smooth shopping experience. Multichannel refers to cross channel approach that provides customers with an integrated shopping experience (Beck and Rygl, 2015). For instance, some customers favor the online channel only for information purposes, whereas others choose to surf offline first and switch to online environment for shopping (Frambach, Roest, and Krishnan, 2007). Besides, Montoya-Weiss, Voss, and Grewal (2003) indicate that well-integrated channels inspire an anticipated relationship between customers and retailers. Although previous studies have discussed the effect of multichannel integration on customers’ behaviors, few studies have explored how multichannel integration can increase customer values, satisfaction, and loyalty. Specifically, customers who purchase across channels could create higher customer values and exhibit higher satisfaction and loyalty than those who only purchase through a single channel (Kumar and Venkatesan, 2005). This study intends to fill research voids; offer a complete understanding of the aforementioned concepts; and provide both retailers and academics with a more precise way of managing multichannel issues. Multichannel management is defined as the design, deployment, and assessment of channels through which retailers and customers communicate with each other, with the task of increasing customers’ values (Neslin, Grewal, Leghorn, Shankar, Teerling, Thomas, and Verhoef, 2006). Among these methods, multichannel integration should be seen as a priority that adds to the operating scope (Cao and Li, 2015). Multichannel integration is composed of a set of events to sell products or services between existing different channels, where the retailers accomplish channel integration (Beck and Rygl, 2015). Therefore, both Sousa and Voss (2006) and Stone, Hobbs, and Khaleeli (2002) argue that integrating online and offline channels allows retailers to add values to customers. Perceived affordances are closely associated with human computer interaction. When applying to retailing world, perceived affordances can expedite the interface collaboration of multichannel design, enhance the values of customers, and enrich their experience (Dong and Wang, 2018). For customer values, economic and relational values are the elementary

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