The cross-shopping behaviour: patterns of store format mobility in the apparel sector

Purpose – The study investigates the cross-format shopping behaviour in the apparel sector. The purpose of this paper is to relate the number of store formats patronized to a set of consumer characteristics under a unifying theoretical framework emphasising cost-benefit analysis. Design/methodology/approach – The research involved questionnaire telephone surveys from a sample of 1,722 apparel shoppers in a European region. Findings – Among shoppers’ socio-demographic characteristics, age, gender, employment status and citizenship were found to have an impact on multi-store format patronage patterns for apparel purchases. Moreover, the store format preference and the sale proneness proved to be additional determinants of cross-format mobility. Practical implications – The findings provide retail managers with valuable insights for effective marketing strategies aimed to exploit customer loyalty potential. Originality/value – Despite consumers’ regular use of various alternative store formats for apparel purchases, literature on the determinants of cross-format mobility is scarce. Addressing the inter-type cross-shopping behaviour of consumers from a cost-benefit viewpoint, this study makes a new contribution in the area of customer loyalty and the complementarity and substitutability of store formats.