Academic Papers

Note:
The papers listed below are all at some stage of the review and pre-publication process with various academic journals.  PLEASE Do not cite or disseminate the information on these papers without explicit, written consent of the authors.

This paper examines the effect of order picking method (DC-based versus store-based) and customer experience level (new or established customer) on customer satisfaction with respect to a variety of attributes.

A cluster analysis of 1,919 customers of home delivery grocers identifies four groups of customers based on reasons for selecting this service. Results indicate that convenience is the primary attraction, with price being of least importance. Further examination based on the customer group examines the impact of operational execution. Linear regression to predict customer loyalty and future purchases by customer groups indicates that the retailer's ability to provide high quality products, efficient online transactions, high levels of in-stock products and high service quality all impact customer intentions to purchase again.

This study reports results from case studies of four Internet ordering and home delivery grocers and 2440 of their customers.  Each grocer follows a different operations strategy as determined by choice of where to fulfill customer orders (from existing stores or from a dedicated DC) and by choice of delivery method (direct to the customer’s home/office or indirect via customer pickup or third-party logistics provider).  The survey data from customers is used to assess the degree of integration between marketing and operations and the relationship with customer behavioral intentions.  The results indicate that eBusiness Quality, Product Quality and Service Quality all have a significant direct effect on customer behavioral intentions to purchase again.  There is limited support for technology as a moderating factor.  Finally, the relationships between the predictor variables and customer behavioral intentions differ across grocers.  This supports the idea that grocers utilizing different operational strategies should focus attention on different facets of their business and provides insight as to where efforts should be directed.

Online and In-store customers: Comparing Loyalty and Execution

We present results from a survey of 271 traditional in-store customers and 1,720 online customers of three grocers that provide both options to their customers. The results of the study indicate that online shoppers have a higher level of satisfaction with their service encounters and a lower level of satisfaction on the tangible aspects of product quality, the range of products available and the sacrafices they make when using the grocer they have selected.

Quality and Logistics Strategy in E-Supply Chains

Emerging scholarly thoughts on quality suggest that three principal sources of customer-based value creation exist for a firm operating in the online marketplace. These include a focus on delivering (1) service quality, (2) product quality, and (3) eBusiness quality. Using strategic choice theory coupled with configuration theory, a profile deviation analysis is conducted among customers of online grocery firms using the ideal "quality profile" for four supply-chain strategy types (semi extended strategy, fully extended strategy, de-coupled strategy, and centralized extended strategy) as the benchmark. The findings suggest that service-, product-, and eBusiness quality-based supply chain fit with strategic type is associated with performance (i.e., customers' behavioral intentions).