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Everywhere and at All Times: Mobility, Consumer Decision-Making, and Choice

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Abstract

Advancements in mobile technologies mean that consumers can engage the digital world wherever they are and whenever they want. This intersection between the digital and the physical has important implications for consumer decision-making. We propose that mobile ecosystems vary in their capabilities and pervasivity (i.e., the degree to which a mobile ecosystem is accessible everywhere and at all times). Further, we propose that accounting for distinguishing aspects of mobile ecosystems, the context in which mobile ecosystems are used, and interactions between mobile ecosystems and mobile contexts are critical in advancing theoretical and substantive understanding of the role of mobile technologies in the marketplace. Based on this perspective, we identify important research topics as well as opportunities and challenges for modeling mobile consumer decision-making.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA

    Nicholas H. Lurie, Hongju Liu & Joseph Pancras

  2. University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Jonah Berger

  3. University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA

    Zoey Chen

  4. Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Beibei Li

  5. University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA

    Charlotte H. Mason

  6. University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA

    David M. Muir

  7. Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON, Canada

    Grant Packard

  8. University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Ann E. Schlosser

  9. Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business, Beijing, China

    Baohong Sun

  10. University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA

    Rajkumar Venkatesan

Authors
  1. Nicholas H. Lurie
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  2. Jonah Berger
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  3. Zoey Chen
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  4. Beibei Li
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  5. Hongju Liu
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  6. Charlotte H. Mason
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  7. David M. Muir
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  8. Grant Packard
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  9. Joseph Pancras
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  10. Ann E. Schlosser
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  11. Baohong Sun
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  12. Rajkumar Venkatesan
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nicholas H. Lurie.

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Contribution Statement

We add to empirical research on mobile marketing by developing a conceptual framework that identifies how characteristics of mobile ecosystems and mobile contexts are likely to affect consumer behavior. Drawing on research in psychology, marketing, and information systems, we identify theoretical antecedents and psychological mechanisms that should affect mobile consumer information search, consideration set formation, and choice. Based on this perspective, we identify important research topics as well as opportunities and challenges for modeling mobile consumer decision-making.

Additional information

This paper is based on a workshop at the 2016 Invitational Choice Symposium, Lake Louise, Alberta.

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Lurie, N.H., Berger, J., Chen, Z. et al. Everywhere and at All Times: Mobility, Consumer Decision-Making, and Choice. Cust. Need. and Solut. 5, 15–27 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40547-017-0076-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40547-017-0076-9

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