Abstract:

The theoretical purpose of this article is to identify customer behaviour in a multi-channel sales environment in terms of all marketing mix components: product - stock availability, price - differentiation level, promotion - additional terms and conditions, distribution - delivery and return options. The practical purpose of the article is to provide guidelines for the recommendations of the omni-channel structure built by trading companies.

As part of the theoretical part, a systematic literature review based on Scopus scientific articles was used. As part of the practical part, a questionnaire study was carried out based on an original algorithm, and as part of the analysis of the results, mathematical and statistical analyses were used, e.g. hypothesis testing by means of Mood's median test.

In the scientific literature, omnichannel in general has definitely wider connections with marketing than strictly with the marketing mix (niche subject). Empirical research shows that Internet channels are the most popular sales channels among young customers (aged under 25). The vast majority of them make purchases by collecting information about the offer from more than one sales channel.

The research results are first and foremost important for distributors shaping their logistics customer service systems in the spirit of omnichannel. They can also prove useful for consumers making purchases in the omnichannel distribution environment.

On the theoretical side, the article identifies the theoretical gaps between omnichannel and marketing. On the practical side, the article contains an original methodological proposal of the omnichannel marketing research.