6533b854fe1ef96bd12ade55

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Retail Innovativeness

subject

description

Retailers have to operate in highly competitive environments, where innovation may become a source of sustainable competitive advantage. This chapter aims at exploring the relationship between retail innovativeness and the level of technological advancement as well as the ICT solutions implemented by store chains of four retail activities (e.g. grocery, textile, electronics, and furniture and decoration). In addition to this, the authors test the existence of significant differences in consumer perceptions and behavioral intentions between retailers perceived as high innovators and those considered low innovators. As a result, differences in consumer behaviour are found between high and low innovators that may be explained by the strong relationship between retail innovativeness and the technology implemented by the store. Notwithstanding, these findings are sensitive to the type of product sold by the store.