Article: Are social media and mobile applications threatening retail websites? Journal: International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising (IJIMA) 2023 Vol.18 No.1 pp.58 - 81 Abstract: The use of mobile applications (MA) and social media (SM) platforms is reshaping the access to the internet. This study aims to analyse if consumers prefer to use a MA/SM platform or a retail website to search for a product or service and what are the reasons supporting their choice. Data was collected through unstructured interviews applied to internet consumers. A total of 770 replies were returned with their perspective analysed through text mining to uncover hidden patterns of knowledge. The outcome revealed that the vital aspect that makes consumers prefer a retail website is due to service quality. The choice for MA/SM platforms is its system quality in the act of searching for a product or service online. The demographic analysis exposed that younger generations prefer MA/SM, suggesting a different future for retail websites. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: Are social media and mobile applications threatening retail websites?

Authors: Ricardo Filipe Ramos; Paulo Rita; Sérgio Moro

Addresses: Instituto Politécnico de Coimbra, Escola Superior de Tecnologia e Gestão de Oliveira do Hospital, Rua General Santos Costa, 3400-124 Oliveira do Hospital, Portugal; Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), ISTAR, Av. Forças Armadas, 1649-026 Lisboa, Portugal; CICEE – Centro de Investigação em Ciências Económicas e Empresariais, Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa, Rua de Santa Marta, Palácio dos Condes do Redondo 56, 1169-023, Lisboa, Portugal ' NOVA Information Management School (NOVA IMS), Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Campus de Campolide, 1070-312 Lisboa, Portugal ' Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), ISTAR, Av. Forças Armadas, 1649-026 Lisboa, Portugal

Abstract: The use of mobile applications (MA) and social media (SM) platforms is reshaping the access to the internet. This study aims to analyse if consumers prefer to use a MA/SM platform or a retail website to search for a product or service and what are the reasons supporting their choice. Data was collected through unstructured interviews applied to internet consumers. A total of 770 replies were returned with their perspective analysed through text mining to uncover hidden patterns of knowledge. The outcome revealed that the vital aspect that makes consumers prefer a retail website is due to service quality. The choice for MA/SM platforms is its system quality in the act of searching for a product or service online. The demographic analysis exposed that younger generations prefer MA/SM, suggesting a different future for retail websites.

Keywords: retail website; social media; mobile application; consumer behaviour; text mining.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2023.128150

International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising, 2023 Vol.18 No.1, pp.58 - 81

Received: 18 Apr 2021
Accepted: 19 Aug 2021
Published online: 09 Jan 2023 *

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Title: Are social media and mobile applications threatening retail websites?

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