How consumer digital signals are reshaping the customer journey

David A. Schweidel (), Yakov Bart (), J. Jeffrey Inman (), Andrew T. Stephen (), Barak Libai (), Michelle Andrews (), Ana Babić Rosario (), Inyoung Chae (), Zoey Chen (), Daniella Kupor (), Chiara Longoni () and Felipe Thomaz ()
Additional contact information
David A. Schweidel: Emory University
Yakov Bart: Northeastern University
J. Jeffrey Inman: University of Pittsburgh
Andrew T. Stephen: University of Oxford
Barak Libai: Interdisciplinary Center
Michelle Andrews: Emory University
Ana Babić Rosario: University of Denver
Inyoung Chae: Emory University
Zoey Chen: University of Miami
Daniella Kupor: Boston University
Chiara Longoni: Boston University
Felipe Thomaz: University of Oxford

Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 2022, vol. 50, issue 6, No 8, 1257-1276

Abstract: Abstract Marketers are adopting increasingly sophisticated ways to engage with customers throughout their journeys. We extend prior perspectives on the customer journey by introducing the role of digital signals that consumers emit throughout their activities. We argue that the ability to detect and act on consumer digital signals is a source of competitive advantage for firms. Technology enables firms to collect, interpret, and act on these signals to better manage the customer journey. While some consumers’ desire for privacy can restrict the opportunities technology provides marketers, other consumers’ desire for personalization can encourage the use of technology to inform marketing efforts. We posit that this difference in consumers’ willingness to emit observable signals may hinge on the strength of their relationship with the firm. We next discuss factors that may shift consumer preferences and consequently affect the technology-enabled opportunities available to firms. We conclude with a research agenda that focuses on consumers, firms, and regulators.

Keywords: Technology-enabled customer journey; Consumer digital signals; Consumer privacy; Personalization; Firm capabilities; Conceptual framework; Research agenda (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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DOI: 10.1007/s11747-022-00839-w

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