Inspiring Customers Early: How Social Online Touchpoints in the Pre-Purchase Phase Drive Customer Inspiration and Purchase Decisions.
Type
working paper
Date Issued
2025-05-08
Author(s)
Abstract
Inspiring customers is a powerful strategy for retailers to increase basket values and unplanned purchases. Based on Social Impact Theory and Shopping Goal Theory, this article examines how the socialness of the pre-purchase journey influences customer inspiration and purchase behavior. Analyzing 1,391 customer journeys, we find that higher socialness of the pre-purchase phase significantly boosts customer inspiration, but only when the touchpoints used are primarily online. Customers who feel more inspired through social touchpoints spend more (+7.3%) and make unplanned purchases more frequently (+24.5%). These findings highlight the opportunities for management to leverage targeted online touchpoint strategies in the pre-purchase phase to drive customer inspiration. To unlock this potential, companies should strategically realign their customer journey and omnichannel management with the goal of fostering customer inspiration.
Language
English
Keywords
social influence
customer inspiration
customer journey management
pre-purchase phase
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
Refereed
No
Subject(s)
Division(s)