Developing a Framework to Improve Virtual Shopping In Digital Malls with Intelligent Self-Service Systems

Haluk Demirkan, University of Washington-Tacoma
James C. Spohrer, IBM

Growing movements to urban places, increasing unemployment, decreasing buying power, rising real estate cost and demanding consumers for convenience and price are creating challenges for retailers. This paper reviews a sample list of retail channels, and proposes a systematic framework for conceptualizing the data-driven, and mobile- and cloud-enabled intelligent self-service systems to improve virtual shopping. With adoption of intelligent self-service systems, – more service oriented, more instrumented (from sensors to smart phones for monitoring consumers’ behaviors), interconnected (patterns of interactions), and intelligent (algorithms help recognize patterns) – retail organizations can provide more cost effective quality retail service experiences to consumers.

 

Demirkan, H. and Spohrer, J. C. “Developing a Framework to Improve Virtual Shopping in Digital Malls with Intelligent Self-Service Systems,” Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, under review.