Unlocking the shopping myth: Can smartphone dependency relieve shopping anxiety? – A mixed-methods approach in UK Omnichannel retail

Digital technologies have enriched various consumer shopping patterns across multiple contexts and channels. Smartphones, as the most daily dependent device, have altered and assisted individual shopping decisions in omnichannel retailing. Drawing on the uses and gratifications theory, this research investigates emerging smartphone uses and consumers’ corresponding gratifications in shopping centers. Following a sequential mixed-methods approach, we first conducted semi-structured interviews with forty-three shoppers followed by a targeted survey in the similar fields. The findings allowed us to group nine specific smartphone uses into utilitarian, hedonic and social gratifications; moreover, both utilitarian and hedonic gratifications reduce state anxiety whereas social gratifications do not impact perceived anxiety. Consequently, a reduced level of state anxiety from achieved gratifications will significantly enhance consumer's purchase intentions. We offer insightful theoretical contributions and implications to marketing practitioners.