Managing in-store shopping disruptions with technology: the impact of self-service technology on consumer control and decision comfort

Shoppers often encounter in-store disruptions that can undermine the shopping experience. This research examines how self-service technologies in physical retail stores can support customers in these moments by increasing perceived control and decision comfort. We further examine the moderating role of technology self-efficacy, with stronger benefits observed among customers with greater confidence in their ability to use technology. Across five studies, we demonstrate that using self-service technology to resolve in-store shopping disruptions increases perceived control, which in turn enhances decision comfort, and that this effect is stronger when technology self-efficacy is higher. Implications for theory, retail practice, and future research are provided.