Retailing and Emergent Technologies

Introduction

Special issue of Journal of Business Research; Deadline 1 Nov 2019

Special Issue on Retailing and Emergent Technologies

Call for Papers: Journal of Business Research Special Issue on Retailing and Emergent Technologies

Guest Editors

The ways in which emergent technologies are disrupting retailing are manifold. The Internet, social media, mobile technologies, vastly increased computing power, artificial intelligence, robotics, and natural user interfaces all combine to grant consumers access to more information and channels than ever before, through virtually seamless connections with retailers, competitors, and other consumers (Dolbec & Fischer, 2015; Grewal, Roggeveen, & Nordfält 2017). Such disruptions have important implications for consumers, retailers, and society at large. For example, consumers seek information and make decisions about products and services in radically new ways, then share their post-purchase experiences with others widely, often with the assistance of third-party service providers (e.g., Yelp, TripAdvisor).

Retailers are both responding to these altered consumer behaviors and driving further changes, with innovative strategies and new business models that rely on unprecedented data access to enter, expand, and defend markets. Finally, technologies that alter competitive dynamics and economic systems exert prominent effects on society. In short, emergent technologies are changing the game for retailers, with the potential to benefit consumers, retailers, and society (Grewal, Roggeveen, & Nordfält, 2017).

Such benefits might accrue through the enhanced value that emergent, disruptive technologies can create. Consider self-checkout technologies: Consumers can scan, bag, and pay for products efficiently and without requiring any interaction with a cashier, which also means that retailers can manage their customer exchanges more cost effectively, without having to hire more cashiers, while still providing better customer service in the form of reduced wait times (He & Bond, 2015). In this example, the technology offers the promise of higher customer satisfaction, less stressed employees, and greater profit for the retailer. By achieving a more detailed understanding of such changes in consumer behavior and retailing activities, as well as their impact on society at large, we can better clarify how emergent technologies are affecting real-world consumer and retailer behaviors, contribute to retailing and consumer behavior theories, and ultimately help retailers develop better strategies.

Suggested Topics

This special issue aims to showcase high-quality, high-impact scholarship that investigates the impact of emergent technologies on retailing-related research topics. The studies might take consumer, firm, societal, or public- policy perspectives. Empirical, conceptual, and methodological papers, including meta-analyses, are welcome, though all contributions should advance theory or address a real-world retailing challenge. The following topics represent a range of potential ideas, issues, and concepts; they are not comprehensive, and we welcome authors to contact the guest editors to discuss the appropriateness of other topics related to the theme of this special issue.

  • How emergent technologies have changed consumer decision making, satisfaction, communication, engagement, and loyalty.
  • Modeling customer–retailer interactions across multiple interfaces and touchpoints.
  • Privacy, personalization, security and customization.
  • Impacts of new technologies on the marketing mix and firm performance.
  • Mobile marketing, social media and retailing.
  • Omni-channel retailing.
  • Retailer responses to third-party and customer-to-customer information platforms.
  • The future of brick-and-mortar retailing.
  • How fake news affects consumer shopping behaviors.
  • Big data and retailing. Consumer wearable technologies and their impact on retailing.
  • Digital displays and retail sales.
  • The role of cross-cultural issues in retailing as influenced by emergent technologies.

Submission Guidelines and Deadlines

When preparing your submission, please check the JBR website for style and length guidelines:

http://www.elsevier.com/journals/journal-of-business-research/0148-2963/guide-for-authors.

Manuscripts for review should be submitted to Elsevier’s editorial system, at

http://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-business-research/. PLEASE SELECT ARTICLE TYPE SI: R&ET WHEN SUBMITTING PAPERS.

Papers will undergo a conventional review process; however, in their submission cover letters, authors should indicate that they intend for their papers to be considered for this Special Issue.

  • Submissions Open: August 1, 2019
  • Submissions Deadline: November 1, 2019
  • Final Acceptance Deadline: November 30, 2020

The most up-to-date version of this call can be found at

https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-business-research/call-for-papers/special-issue-on-retailing-and-emergent-technologies

References

Dolbec, Y-C. & Fischer, E. (2015). Refashioning a field? Connected consumers and institutional dynamics in markets. Journal of Consumer Research, 41(6): 1447-1468.

Grewal, D., Roggeveen, A. L., & Nordfält, J. (2017). The future of retailing. Journal of Retailing, 93(1): 1-6.

He, S.X. & Bond, S.D. (2015). Why is the crowd divided? Attribution for dispersion in online word of mouth. Journal of Consumer Research, 41(6): 1509-1527.