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Inspiring Customers Early: How Social Online Touchpoints in the Pre-Purchase Phase Drive Customer Inspiration and Purchase Decisions

Author

Listed:
  • Schraml, Christopher
  • Eggenschwiler, Matthias

    (University of St.Gallen)

  • Rudolph, Thomas

Abstract

Inspiring customers is a powerful strategy for retailers to increase basket values and unplanned purchases. Based on Social Impact Theory and Shopping Goal Theory, this article examines how the socialness of the pre-purchase journey influences customer inspiration and purchase behavior. Analyzing 1,391 customer journeys, we find that higher socialness of the pre-purchase phase significantly boosts customer inspiration, but only when the touchpoints used are primarily online. Customers who feel more inspired through social touchpoints spend more (+7.3%) and make unplanned purchases more frequently (+24.5%). These findings highlight the opportunities for management to leverage targeted online touchpoint strategies in the pre-purchase phase to drive customer inspiration. To unlock this potential, companies should strategically realign their customer journey and omnichannel management with the goal of fostering customer inspiration.

Suggested Citation

  • Schraml, Christopher & Eggenschwiler, Matthias & Rudolph, Thomas, 2025. "Inspiring Customers Early: How Social Online Touchpoints in the Pre-Purchase Phase Drive Customer Inspiration and Purchase Decisions," OSF Preprints x7dsy_v1, Center for Open Science.
    • Handle: RePEc:osf:osfxxx:x7dsy_v1
    DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/x7dsy_v1
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    References listed on IDEAS

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