The Influence of Search Experience on Impulse Buying in Omni-channel Retailing

The omnichannel business model is becoming increasingly prevalent, with more and more retailers transitioning to omnichannel. This study employs the perspective of Information Foraging Theory (IFT) to explore the role of consumer search experience in the omnichannel environment and its resulting impact on impulse buying behavior. The research findings indicate that (1) the three main characteristics of the omnichannel environment (connectivity, personalization, integration) positively influence search experience (perceived diagnosticity, serendipity), (2) for omnichannel retailers, the connectivity of foreign omnichannel retailers has a more significant effect on perceived diagnosticity, and integration has a more pronounced effect on serendipity, (3) for search experience of omnichannel retailers, the perceived diagnosticity of foreign omnichannel retailers has a more pronounced effect on impulse buying, and (4) regardless of domestic or foreign origin, serendipity in the omnichannel retail environment positively influences impulse buying.