Abstract:
A unique brand experience (BX) is vital for marketers to create differentiation for their brands in a hyper price sensitive e-tail industry. While BX as a concept evolved in a physical-retailing environment, only a few studies extended the same in the e-tailing environment. Using ISM (interpretive structure modeling) and the MICMAC (Matrix Impact Cross-Reference Multiplication Applied to a Classification) approach, this study attempts to address this gap by investigating the factors which form the BX in an app-based online retail environment (eRBX) and by highlighting insights on this. A literature review on BX and a collection of responses from 33 domain experts led to the identification of 20 factors and the showcasing of a multilevel interpretive relational structure of eRBX. Value for money and marketing communication emerged as first-order factors for eRBX in line with existing research. The authors' original contribution lied in finding two new multi-dimensional concepts of Physical Evidence (PE), and Enjoyment (E) in BX research. Ten critical influencing factors (CIF) were under PE, and five hygiene factors (HF) were under E for eRBX. Both these multi-dimensional concepts are further framed into an alternative paradigm of etailscape. This study can help practitioners to understand the insight and anatomy, for creating sustainable eRBX, and prioritize marketing investments accordingly.