Title: Reconceptualising buyer behaviour in the digital era: an emergent journey

Authors: Peter Scott; Tamsin Scott; Peter Stokes; Neil Moore; Simon M. Smith; Caroline Rowland; Antony Ward

Addresses: Liverpool John Moores University, IM Marsh Campus, Barkhill Road, Aigburth, Liverpool L17 6BD, UK ' Galigeo France, 87 Avenue d'Italie, Paris, 75013, France ' Faculty of Business and Management, University of Chester, Churchill House, Queen's Park Road, Chester, CH4 7AD, UK ' Faculty of Business and Management, University of Chester, Churchill House, Queen's Park Road, Chester, CH4 7AD, UK ' University of Winchester, Winchester Business School, Sparkford Road, Winchester, SO22 4NR, UK ' Faculty of Business and Management, University of Chester, Churchill House, Queen's Park Road, Chester, CH4 7AD, UK ' Faculty of Business and Management, University of Chester, Churchill House, Queen's Park Road, Chester, CH4 7AD, UK

Abstract: This paper undertakes a conceptual examination of the emergence of digital marketing in recent decades. It identifies a number of key trends in consumer behaviour and manners in which the medium is evolving. The argument progresses to examine and challenge predominant conceptualisations of the buyer behaviour process and considers how these have been recast in the advent of digital technologies. This provides the backdrop to develop a novel diagrammatic representation of digital marketing buyer behaviour processes which can be tested empirically. The model is illustrated through the use of a vignette which points up the complexities which the model aims to represent. The paper concludes with an appeal for the continued development, modelling and empirical testing of the evolving world of digital buyer behaviour.

Keywords: customer journey model; CJM; digital marketing; buyer behaviour; retailing; internet; social media; consumer behaviour; conceptual models; digital era.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTMKT.2017.083378

International Journal of Technology Marketing, 2017 Vol.12 No.2, pp.165 - 179

Received: 21 Jul 2016
Accepted: 21 Aug 2016
Published online: 24 Mar 2017 *

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