Exploring Customers' Perceptions in Creating and Delivering Value

Abstract

Abstract Retailers increasingly rely on technology-based self-service (TBSS) options (e.g., self-checkouts in grocery stores) to provide service to their customers. In TBSS environments, customers serve themselves at the convenience of these service options more than ever before. Retailers try to create and sustain a competitive advantage by offering customer value based on the utilization of TBSS options, while customers try to receive the best value for their participation in service production and delivery. The purpose of this exploratory qualitative study is to understand and address the potential gaps between retailer's value offering and customer's perceptions, particularly in TBSS environments of retail and grocery stores. The current paper uses a series of in-depth interviews based on a qualitative research design with grounded theory methodology underpinnings. In the interest of discovery, initial research findings inspired us to think about the issues toward a gap idea, supported by the extant literature. Findings of the study provide helpful insights on the issues discussed, but further qualitative in-depth and quantitative empirical studies are also needed. Key Words: Customer valuevalue creationvalue deliveryvalue gapstechnology-based self-servicecustomer value model