Methodological foundations for formulating a retail marketing strategy that accounts for the ROPO (Research Online – Purchase Offline) effect

Abstract

This article develops the methodological foundations for formulating a retail marketing strategy that takes into account the ROPO (Research Online – Purchase Offline) phenomenon, which describes consumer behavior whereby consumers search for and research a product online and then purchase it in a physical store. The ROPO and showrooming phenomena are comparatively analyzed, and the variations of the ROPO effect across product categories, as well as its stages within the purchase funnel, are substantiated. Furthermore, the relevance of the ROPO approach is highlighted in the context of high internet penetration in Uzbekistan and the predominantly offline nature of retail transactions.