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ZarządzanieiFinanseJournalofManagementandFinanceVol.16,No.3/3/2018
Sylwia Badowska*
Liwia Delińska**
Sylwia Badowska, Liwia Delińska
Smartphone as a device supporting
the interpenetrating of oine and online
processes in shopping – empirical research
among the Y generation
Smartphone as a device supporting the interpenetrating…
Introduction
The dynamic development of new technologies changes the daily behav-
iour of contemporary consumers. In the last decade one of the popular
mobile devices that revolutionized both access to information and the way
of communication – is the mobile phone, the so-called smartphone. Young
consumers that are classied as the Y generation are regarded as its well-used
specialists. In the behaviour of this generation, we observe the changes
leading to combining a traditional purchasing processes with modern
forms of shopping with assistance of mobile technologies. Such a hybrid
approach, which reects interpenetrating oine and online processes
in shopping, has denitely been supported by the smartphone as an insep-
arable aribute of the Y generation. This product can full the functions
supporting consumers in the decision making process, moderating their
choices and shaping their preferences.
Thus, the aim of the study is an aempt to evaluate the use of smartphones
by the Y generation consumers as a support tool in shopping at traditional
retail (brick-and-mortar shops ‘B&M’) in the context of the interpenetration
of online and oine processes. The investigation was conducted in 2017
applying the survey technique, and the selective quota sampling procedure
was employed. The results of the study broaden the knowledge concerning
the behaviour of Y generation consumers and contribute to drawing up
marketing strategies beer. The article presents literature review, illus-
trates the research methodology, analyzes the results and nally summa-
rizes them. The article ends the authors’ proposal of applying the ndings
in practice.
* PhD, Marketing Department, Faculty of Management, University of Gdansk, Armii Kra-
jowej 101, 81-824 Sopot, sylwia.badowska@ug.edu.pl
** MA, Marketing Department, Faculty of Management, University of Gdansk, Armii Kra-
jowej 101, 81-824 Sopot, liwia.delinska@ug.edu.pl
8 Sylwia Badowska, Liwia Delińska
1. The use of smartphones by the Y generation
Most of the representatives of the young generation cannot imagine
everyday life without the smartphone, which is inherently associated with
the use of online resources [Refuel, 2015]. Literature presents that represent-
atives of the Y generation are classied with, among others, the following
nomenclature: Millennium generation [Howe, Strauss, 2000], Millennials
and Echo Boomers [Solomon, 2016; Kavounis, 2008], network generation
[Tapsco, 2010], digital natives [Prensky, 2001], Tech generation, next gen-
eration – Gen Next, Com generation [Howe, Strauss, 2000], Net generation,
Digital generation [Prensky, 2001], Google generation [Rowlands et al.,
2008]. A membership of the Y generation determines the boundary dates
of birth, which according to dierent researchers fall on a dierent year.
Mostly these are people born in the 1980s and 1990s [Edelman / Strategy-
One, 2010; Van den Bergh, Behrer, 2012; Kavounis, 2008].
Millennials have become a new technology generation and according
to research 87% of them use 2–3 technology devices on average on a daily
basis [Turak, 2015]. It is worth noting that the percentage of Poles using
smartphones in May 2015 amounted to 58% on average but 91% in the 15–19
age group, and 88% among consumers at the age 20–29 [TNS Polska,
2016]. Among young consumers, the use of smartphones is at a very high
level. In recent years, access to mobile devices allowing for the connection
to the Internet increased signicantly. Among the most active Internet
users employing this technology on a daily basis, 69% were connected
to the network via the smartphone [IAB Polska, PwC, 2016].
The new technologies development has brought into being a concept
of multi-screening, which means using more than one screen at the same
time. This phenomenon occurs most often among people under 24. It
involves the simultaneous use of the smartphone while watching TV, or
using a notebook [Mindshare Polska, 2015]. Close to multi-screening idea
is shifting which means starting one activity on one device and nishing
it on another one. The previous study showed that 38% of the surveyed
people start online shopping on one device and end it on the next one
[Mindshare Polska, 2015].
The Y generation is called the digital one due to the fact that they
coexist between the online and oine worlds, and dynamically employ
new technologies in various activities of their lives. Researchers point
out about the phenomenon of dividing human life into real and virtual
worlds [Dąbrowska et al., 2015]. According to a study conducted by OMD
and NewsLifeMedia in 2015 [Homewood, 2015], the Y generation repre-
sentatives reect a high level of a separation anxiety when they do not have
the smartphone by their side. What’s more, 87% of the surveyed women
Smartphone as a device supporting the interpenetrating… 9
and 72% of the surveyed men admied that they just feel lost without their
smartphones. Nowadays, for most of Millennials checking the smartphone
is the last thing they regularly do before going to bed and in the morning,
right after waking-up. Moreover, 92% of the respondents declared puing
their smartphones not further away then 1 meter from their beds.
2. Making-up purchase decisions – between online and oine
The development of information technologies causes that people live
simultaneously both in the real and virtual worlds, and information
acquired from the virtual one has an impact on their decisions in real life
[Sznajder, 2014]. This phenomenon also applies to making-up purchase
decisions, i.e. consumer behaviour of migration between online and oine
worlds is observed, and it seems to become a natural element of the pro-
curement path [Delińska, 2016].
Analyzing the interpenetration of the online and oine worlds, the con-
cept should be interpreted in exact terms. The Polish Language Diction-
ary denes online as ‘done via a computer network, mainly the Internet’
and in this way it should be understood properly. On the other hand,
the oine concept means ‘a work mode during which a computer or device
works in disconnection from the network, main computer, etc’. However,
in this article the authors propose to use the term oine as the antithesis
of the concept online, i.e. without the mediation of the Internet. Referring
to the above, shopping can be divided into online (electronic) and oine
(traditional retailing i.e. brick-and-mortar shops, B&M stores).
Although the e-commerce market is growing very dynamically in Poland,
still around 90% of purchases are oine [Mediarun, 2017]. Nevertheless,
95% of retail sales result from the combination of online, mobile and store
interactions during the customer’s shopping path [Cognizant, 2015]. Increas-
ingly, consumers use smartphones during their shopping visit at traditional
retail (B&M stores), and the device supports their purchase decisions.
According to [Smartshopping, czyli mądre zakupy…, n.d.] report, mobile
devices oer consumers numerous opportunities to support the purchase
process when shopping at traditional retail. They enable searching for prod-
uct information on the Internet, reading reviews, comparing prices or sharing
opinions after purchase. That makes the consumer have access to a huge
amount of information, which means that contemporary consumers can
make-up rational shopping choices [Siekierska, 2016]. By using new tech-
nologies to acquire information, these modern consumers become a sort
of the so-called smart shoppers. The smart shopping reects choosing prod-
ucts of the highest quality at the best possible price [Sempruch-Krzemińska,
2014; Koniorczyk, 2014]. The smart shoppers are consumers for whom
10 Sylwia Badowska, Liwia Delińska
the search for opportunities is not related to the need for savings, but a mat-
ter of conscious choice [Koniorczyk, 2014]. These consumers have market
knowledge, which manifests itself in the ability to assess the aractiveness
of the oer properly. Access to mobile devices with connection to the Inter-
net, facilitates the escalation of the smart shopping phenomenon. The search
for shopping opportunities is illustrated by a possibility of comparing prices,
group purchases [Sempruch-Krzemińska, 2014] or using promotional cou-
pons. The use of promotional coupons and e-mail oers at traditional retail
is a relatively new phenomenon as well (increase of this activity from 25%
to 40% of declarations in 2015 and 2016, respectively). Oering consumers
an aractive oer electronically can be a proper way to visit B&M stores
[Izba Gospodarki Elektroniczna and Mobile Institute, 2016]. The consumers
using discount coupons are called Promo Hunters [Szulkowski, 2016]. Mobile
applications of the largest commercial networks have become popular (e.g.
H&M, Rossmann, KFC, McDonald’s), and allow the implementation of pro-
motional coupons. What’s more the smartphone also supports consumers
in creating a shopping list and using their electronic version at B&M stores.
A group buying (collective buying) is the next tool allowing the Internet
users to shop at a very aractive price. Its phenomenon is that, depend-
ing on the service, consumers can save up to 90% [Waś-Smyrgała, 2011].
The group buying connects the virtual and real worlds – the consum-
ers learn about the oers on the Internet, but they mostly buy at a tradi-
tional retail. The purchased coupon can be shown as the electronic version
on the smartphone. The most popular online group buying platforms
in Poland are the following: Groupon.pl, MyDeal.pl, Gruper.pl, FastDeal.pl,
Okazik.pl, Cuppon.pl, KlubZnizek.pl, GoDealla.pl and many others.
According to the previous survey [PwC, 2017], in Poland before going
shopping, 60% of respondents use online price comparison websites, this
means that the cost still plays an important role for consumers. It can be
assumed that some shoppers also display this behaviour when visiting
B&M stores.
The next observed trend is a pre-shopping, which was reserved for
expensive and complex products in the past. Currently, the trend accompa-
nies almost all shopping categories [Leciński, 2011]. The social media also
play a crucial role in the purchase decision-making process and improve
the comfort of shopping. Previous research shows that the commercial
activity of enterprises in social media has a greater impact on consumers
than the activities on the companies’ websites. The importance of social
media can be particularly observed during the consumers’ selection of new
products and/or brands, and aects the representatives of the Y generation
and Baby Boomers stronger [Epsilon, 2015].
Smartphone as a device supporting the interpenetrating… 11
The smartphone can be used for communication and purchase consul-
tations with people acting as advisers or decision makers. Mobile devices
allow to take a picture or record a video, and then use one of the commu-
nicators to send the message to people supporting the purchase process.
Research shows that in 2016, 31% of respondents took photos of the prod-
ucts and sent them to family or friends to consult the purchase [Izba Gospo-
darki Elektronic i Mobile Institute, 2016]. Moreover, mobile payments,
the so-called m-payment being a non-cash payment made using a mobile
device (mostly smartphones), may gain in importance, which in the long
run will have a signicant impact on cash trading and the use of payment
cards [IAB Polska Mobile, 2014].
3. Smartphone during shopping and the omnichannel trend
The development of new technologies enables combining online
and oine worlds. In the behaviour of modern consumers, the trend
of using mobile devices while shopping at traditional retail can be noticed.
Outcomes of Mobile Institute research conducted in 2016 showed that: 46%
of the respondents being at a B&M store check whether the product can
be bought cheaper online; 46% verify the availability of goods in the store;
41% of the surveyed people take pictures of products to look for them
at home; 34% use coupons received via e-mail; 35% pay by phone; 25%
take photos of the product to consult a purchase with friends; 14% scan
bar codes and QR codes to nd out more about the product.
Consumers use mobile devices at B&M stores. Research conducted
in 2016 points out that 86% of people who actively use mobile devices, also
declare using them for other various direct or indirect activities related
to shopping. What’s more, 82% of mobile owners uses the device at tra-
ditional retail [Izba Gospodarki Elektronicznej, Mobile Institute, 2016].
According to the New Digital Divide survey carried out by Deloie,
as much as 56% of purchases at B&M stores are the result of earlier use
of the Internet. In the case of Millennials, as much as 71% used the Internet
before shopping, and 55% did it during the process.
Nowadays, consumers more and more value speed, convenience, avail-
ability and access to make purchase anywhere and at any time, which also
results from the development of mobile technologies. At present, the bor-
derline between online and oine shopping seems to be observed and both
zones coexist and complement each other. Progressively, enterprises have
already become fully aware of the fact that the existing sti division into
online and oine sales is not possible any more. One of the popular trends
which has developed over the last years is a multi-channel. And the next
transformation of this concept is an omnichannel. The multi-channel relies
12 Sylwia Badowska, Liwia Delińska
on the customer’s ability to use dierent sales channels that are not inte-
grated with each other (e.g. a product in an online store of the same com-
pany is at a dierent price than at traditional retail). The omnichannel
means a full integration of sales channels: a traditional retail, a website,
a mobile site, contact in social media or a helpline. This trend assumes that
altogether each of the channels creates an integrated ecosystem that is fully
consistent [Siekierska, 2016]. One of such as examples is Carrefour Pro store
located in Warsaw which applied the omnichannel in practice. It combines
both online and oine shopping. Besides the standard/traditional way
of shopping, customers can immediately order goods at an online store.
Interactive screens are placed at the outlet and allow consumers to make
transactions. Afterwards, the ordered goods can be delivered to the cho-
sen address, or they can be sent directly to a parcel locker located in front
of the store [Bełcik, 2017].
The ongoing digital transformation aects the change in the role of tra-
ditional retail. The key element of omnichannel’s strategy is to enable cus-
tomers to have physical access to the products they view online. It means
that the B&M stores may take the form of showrooms in future. Global
trends show that traditional stores must be prepared for changes. They will
lead to adapting B&M shops to performing the functions of showrooms for
viewing and trying on goods, and/but buying online [Dobosiewicz, 2017].
The omnichannel can also be ranged from: mobile notications regarding
oers based on geolocation, the possibility of expanding information by
scanning a bar code using the smartphone, virtual ing rooms based
on augmented reality to communication with brand representatives via
social media.
An interesting example of the development of new technologies
is the world’s rst maintenance-free grocery store, which was established
in Seale in the United States. Amazon Go is a technologically advanced
facility where at the entrance gate every customer has to scan a special
application installed on their smartphone that is connected to a credit card.
From this moment, purchases are made under the supervision of hundreds
of cameras and sensors that record the movements of shoppers and auto-
matically charge for goods placed in the consumer’s basket [Green, 2018].
Recapitulating, it is worth noticing that nowadays the use of informa-
tion technologies aects the consumers purchase processes. As the global
trends show, using of mobile technologies by consumers while shopping
seems to be a new and signicant direction observed in practice. How-
ever, in literature the ongoing changes in consumer behaviour concerning
the usage of mobile devices in purchase processes haven’t been described
well-enough and constitute the lacuna of present knowledge. Thus, bearing
Smartphone as a device supporting the interpenetrating… 13
in mind the above literature review, the use of mobile technology in shop-
ping seems to be an important research problem. This is a meaningful issue
especially for younger generations for which mobile technologies, online
and oine worlds have already become a natural hybrid environment.
Therefore, broaden research on this aspect is highly expected, because
geing to know behaviour of the young generations allow companies
to adjust marketing activities in advance.
Thus, it is reasonable to pose the following questions: whether
and in what way young people use e.g. the smartphone as a support
tool when shopping at traditional retail while interpenetrating of oine
and online is observed? The aempt to nd the answer to these questions
has been dened as the aim of the further empirical part of this article.
4. The smartphone as a device supporting the interpenetrating
of online and oine processes in shopping – empirical research
4.1. Research methodology
The purpose of this research is to evaluate the use of smartphones by rep-
resentatives of the Y generation as a support tool in shopping at traditional
retail (brick-and-mortar shops, ‘B&M stores’) in the context of the inter-
penetration of online and oine processes. The ve issues were selected
as a subject of the study. They are related to some consumers’ activities
which may be accompanied using the smartphone.
The detailed scope of the study among representatives of the Y gener-
ation included:
– identifying the phenomenon of nding shopping inspirations while
using the smartphone,
– recognizing the use of the smartphone to absorb information on prod-
ucts before purchasing,
– evaluating the preferences of using the Internet on the smartphone
while purchasing at traditional retail,
– getting to know the subjective assessment of the respondents
of the occurrence of the assistant function of the smartphone
in making-up decisions while shopping at traditional retail,
– determination of the occurrence of malaise in the case of a lack
of the smartphone while shopping at traditional retail,
– identifying a subjective assessment of the compulsion using smart-
phones while purchasing at traditional retail.
To obtain the results, a survey technique was applied using a paper
questionnaire (PAPI). To identify the occurrence of the phenomenon,
positive-sense statements were employed. They were veried by using
the 5-point Likert scale, in which 1 means denitely yes, and 5 denitely no.
14 Sylwia Badowska, Liwia Delińska
In this study, the selective quota sampling procedure was employed.
The study covered students of the Faculty of Management at the Univer-
sity of Gdansk in May-June 2017. Paper questionnaires were distributed
and a total of 235 questionnaires were collected. Then, six questionnaires
were rejected due to the signicant lack of data. Out of 229 respondents:
99.56% use the smartphone, 83.84% use the notebook / laptop, and 22.27%
use the tablet. The characteristics of the respondents are presented in Table 1.
Table 1. The demography data of the respondents by gender and age (n = 229)
Gender
Female Male Lack of data Total
n 158 71 0 229
% 69 31 0 100
Age in years
20 21 22 23 24 Lack of data Total
n 6 142 40 17 8 16 229
% 2,62 62,01 17,47 7,42 3,49 6,99 100
Source: Authors’ development.
4.2. Data analysis
The questions included in the questionnaire concerned the occurrence
of selected behaviour. This does not mean that consumers always behave
in this way, but they do.
In this study, the rst issue was to identify the phenomenon of nding
shopping inspiration while using the smartphone by the representatives
of the Y generation. All responses given to the presented statement have
been included in Figure 1.
Referring to the obtained data, 17.90% of respondents expressed a de-
nitely positive belief that while using the smartphone, they nd shopping
inspiration. The next 40.61% rather supported this opinion. Successively,
24.02% of respondents neither agreed nor disagreed with this opinion.
Another 10.48% of respondents indicated that they probably do not nd
shopping inspirations when using the device. Ultimately, 6.55% of respond-
ents denitely disagreed with the statement. Lastly, 0.44% of the respond-
ents (one person) did not respond.
To sum up, it is worth noting that 58.52% of the surveyed young people
indicated that they nd shopping inspiration when using the smartphone.
On the other hand 17.03% did not declare this type of behaviour.
The second statement in this study was aimed at recognizing whether
the Y generation representatives use the smartphone to absorb information
on products before purchasing. All the responses are shown in Figure 2.
Smartphone as a device supporting the interpenetrating… 15
Figure 1. The structure of the respondents’ answers regarding their shopping
inspiration while using the smartphone (n = 229)
Source: Authors’ development.
Figure 2. The structure of the respondents’ answers regarding recognition
of the smartphone use to absorb information on product before purchasing
(n = 229)
Source: Authors’ development.
16 Sylwia Badowska, Liwia Delińska
According to the obtained data, 14.41% of respondents expressed their
strong belief that they search for information on products using their smart-
phone before purchasing. Next, 43.23% of respondents indicated that they
rather agreed with this type of statement. Among the respondents, 19.65%
neither agreed nor disagreed with the statement, while 13.10% of young
consumers declared that they rather disagreed that before going shopping,
they look for information on products using the smartphone. The nal
9.17% of the respondents denitely did not agree with the statement. Lastly,
0.44% of the respondents (one person) did not respond.
Recapitulating, it is necessary to notice that 57.64% of the surveyed
young people absorb information on products using the smartphone before
going shopping. On the other hand, such behaviour was not declared by
22.27% of respondents.
The third issue of the study concerned the evaluation of the preferences
of using the Internet on the smartphone while purchasing at traditional
retail. All the answers to the statement have been presented in Figure 3.
Figure 3. The structure of the respondents’ answers regarding the preference
of using the Internet on the smartphone while purchasing at traditional retail
(n = 229)
Source: Authors’ development.
Among the respondents, 12.66% indicated that they preferred to use
the Internet on the smartphone when shopping at brick-and-mortar
shops. The next 36.68% of the respondents rather preferred the presented
Smartphone as a device supporting the interpenetrating… 17
statement. Another 22.71% of the surveyed students agreed or disagreed
with the statement. Moreover, 18.34% of respondents hardly liked to use
the Internet on their smartphones while shopping at B&M stores. The nal
9.17% of the respondents expressed a negative opinion about this statement.
Ultimately, 0.44% of the respondents (one person) did not answer.
Summing up, it is worth emphasizing that 49.34% of the surveyed young
people prefer to use the Internet on the smartphone while shopping at tra-
ditional retail, and 27.51% of students presented a dierent opinion.
The fourth issue of the study was to get to know the subjective assessment
of respondents of the occurrence of the assistant function of a smartphone
in making decisions while shopping at traditional retail. All the responses
given to the statement are shown in Figure 4.
Figure 4. The structure of respondents’ answers regarding the assessment
of the occurrence of the assistant function of the smartphone in making
decisions while shopping at traditional retail (n = 229)
Source: Authors’ development.
The collected data show that 14.85% of respondents decisively declared
that the smartphone helps them to make-up decisions when shopping
at B&M stores. Next 25.76% of the respondents also preferred this opinion,
but with slightly less determination. Among the respondents, 24.89% of stu-
dents indicated that they neither agree nor disagree with such a statement.
Successively, 24.45% of surveyed people tend to disagree that the smart-
phone helps them make-up decisions while shopping at B&M stores.
18 Sylwia Badowska, Liwia Delińska
The nal 8.73% of respondents denitely disagreed with the statement.
Ultimately, 1.31% of the respondents (three people) did not respond.
To sum up, it should be noted that 40.61% of respondents assess sub-
jectively that the smartphone helps them in making-up decisions when
shopping at traditional retail, however 33.19% of surveyed ones present
a dierent opinion.
The last but one issue in the study was determining the occurrence
of malaise in the case of a lack of smartphone while shopping at traditional
retail. All the answers given to the statement were presented in Table 2.
Table 2. The structure of the respondents’ answers concerning the occurrence
of malaise in the case of a lack of the smartphone while shopping
at traditional retail and the subjective assessment of compulsion using
the smartphone while purchasing at traditional retail (n = 229)
Items
Respondents’ answers
Percentage
share
Denitely
yes
Rather yes
Neither yes
nor no
Rather no
Denitely no
Lack of
data
Total
‘When going
shopping
and forget my
smartphone I feel
bad’
n 55 59 45 36 33 1229
% 24,02 25,76 19,65 15,72 14,41 0,44 100,0
‘I can not
imagine buying
at brick-and-
mortar shops
without
the smartphone’
n23 27 49 57 72 1229
% 10,04 11,79 21,40 24,89 31,44 0,44 100,0
Source: Authors’ development.
Referring to the obtained data in the study, 24.02% of the respondents
strongly agreed that, when they forget their smartphones when going
shopping, they feel bad. The next 25.76% of the respondents were rather
inclined to the presented opinion. In addition, 19.65% of the respondents
neither agree nor disagreed with the presented statement. Successively,
15.72% of respondents rather disagreed with the statement that when they
forget their smartphones when going shopping, they feel bad. And the next
14,41% of the respondents denitely disagreed with this opinion. Lastly,
0.44% of the respondents (one person) did not respond.
Smartphone as a device supporting the interpenetrating… 19
Recapitulating, it should be pointed out that 49.78% of the respondents
when going shopping and they forget their smartphones, they feel bad.
On the other hand, 30.13% disagreed with this opinion.
The nal issue of the study aimed to identify a subjective assessment
of the compulsion using the smartphones while purchasing at traditional
retail. All the answers given to the statement were presented in Table 2.
To the statement ‘I cannot imagine buying at brick-and-mortar shops
without the smartphone’, 10.04% of the respondents denitely expressed
their positive opinion about it. Moreover, 11.79% of the respondents
indicated that they rather agreed with the presented statement. Among
the respondents, 21.40% of the young people indicated that they neither
agreed nor disagreed with such an opinion. Another 24.89% of the sur-
veyed young ones indicated that they rather disagreed that they cannot
imagine shopping at B&M stores without the smartphone. The nal 31.44%
of the respondents pointed out that they strongly disagreed with such
an opinion. Lastly, 0.44% of the respondents (one person) did not respond.
To sum up, it is worth pointing out that 21.83% of respondents subjec-
tively assess that they cannot imagine buying at traditional retail without
having their smartphones, and 56.33% of the young people presented
a dierent opinion.
4.3. Discussion
Generation Y belongs to the rst consumer group that participates
in parallel in two worlds: online and oine. As previous research suggests,
this community integrates paerns of purchasing behaviour previously
reserved for each of these market spaces separately. This mobile generation
uses the available devices to improve the quality of purchasing processes
due to employing new technological solutions. On the other hand, they still
successfully make purchases at traditional retail (at B&M shops). Taking
into account the carried out analysis, it is worth paying aention to the fact
that among the respondents almost 60% declared that the smartphone
contributes to nding shopping inspirations. A similar number of respond-
ents before going shopping search for information on products using this
device. Therefore, it can be assumed that among the young consumers
at the pre-shopping stage the smartphone is the source of information
on the producer’s oers in the online world. This behaviour should be
noted by marketers to start focusing on, i.e. marketing communication
that primarily uses the online sphere.
Another important issue is the online use at the traditional retail. A half
of the surveyed young people positively declare the preferences of using
the Internet while shopping at brick-and-mortar stores, and moreover,
40% express the view that the smartphone helps them make-up decisions
20 Sylwia Badowska, Liwia Delińska
when shopping oine. Thus, in the studied group the interpenetration
oine and online shopping can be observed. Among the Y generation this
behaviour paern leads to harmonization and conation into one natural
hybrid process. Then it is worth emphasizing that among the representa-
tives of the generation Y, a tendency to addiction to the smartphone was
also observed. Almost every second respondent declared that when they
go shopping and forget their smartphone, feel some degree of discomfort
(they feel bad in this situation). According to the obtained data, as many
as every fth respondent cannot imagine shopping without having their
smartphone at traditional retail. This suggests that the surveyed repre-
sentatives of the Y generation have been successively rooted in the online
world and a shopping with an assistance of mobile technology has already
become as a certain sort of habit (if not a substitution).
Conclusions
Summing up, as a result of using smartphones, the Y generation has
constant access to the online world and uses them also in oine world, such
as shopping at traditional retail. This trend creates another opportunity
for marketers to integrate with consumers stronger due to the hybridity
of their behaviour. From the perspective of enterprises, the constant access
to technological devices, such as smartphones in this group of respondents,
can be positively used. For example, it raises opportunities to create addi-
tional tools to integrate specic consumers with their producers of goods
and services. Due to the continuous access of this group to the online world,
stores can propose applications to recognize the needs of customers visiting
their outlets. But parallelly as the data ow permanently, it can be realized
in opposite direction as well. For example, consumers’ applications can be
applied for this purpose. When the customer enters the shopping outlet,
the app will act as a concierge, run customers around the store, provide
information on current promotions, and based on previously collected
consumer data, present perfectly matching oers to them. The smartphone,
providing consumers continuous online access at traditional retail, can
become a device serving them as a guide oering a packet of additional
information, values or solutions supporting young people in making up
purchasing decisions of goods and services. Using the right software, bid-
ders have the stronger opportunity to integrate with Y generation consum-
ers which still need to make purchases at oine shopping.
Today, thanks to smartphones, young consumers have the opportu-
nity to make and change their purchasing decisions under the inuence
of up-to-date information. On the other hand, enterprises can serve online
consumers constantly at oine retail more eectively. Making small
Smartphone as a device supporting the interpenetrating… 21
investments in ITC infrastructure they may answer to the mechanism
of continuous online existence. Such opportunities have not been available
so far. It seems to be a chance for the next quality service jump in future.
It concerns the young consumers, for whom the online world has already
become a natural environment, evidently.
Finally, referring to the purpose of this article, it should be noted
that the authors have managed to evaluate the use of smartphones by
the generation Y consumers as a support tool in shopping at traditional
retail in the context of the interpenetration of online and oine processes.
The ndings indicate the usefulness of this device in purchasing processes
for the surveyed young people, especially in the aspect of assisting in nd-
ing shopping inspirations and absorbing product information. Overall,
the results suggest that in purchase process when using the smartphone
some of the young people has already entered the stage of ingrained habit,
and in a few cases also addiction.
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Smartphone as a device supporting the interpenetrating of oine
and online processes in shopping – empirical research among
the Y generation (Summary)
The aim of the paper is to evaluate the use of the smartphones by consumers
of the Y generation as a support tool at traditional retail in the context of the inter-
penetrating of online and oine processes in shopping. The survey was conducted
in 2017 applying the survey technique, and the selective quota sampling proce-
dure was employed. The obtained results suggest that among the studied group,
the smartphone contributes to nding shopping inspirations and absorbing product
information, thus supporting consumers in purchasing processes in oine retail.
Moreover, a group of Y generation consumers, for whom using the smartphone
at traditional retail has become a habit, exists and for some of them it has turned
into addiction. Among represantatives of the Y generation, hybridity of purchasing
behaviour was observed, which leads to integrating activities of online and oine
shopping. The results of the study contribute to broaden the knowledge concerning
the consumer behaviour of Y generation and drawing up of companys’ marketing
strategies beer.
Keywords
smartphone, generation Y, purchasing process, online, oine
