E‐commerce researchers have shown that retailers are increasingly following a click and mortar strategy, whereby online and offline channels are becoming more integrated. Despite case study evidence for the benefit of this approach, an analysis of the websites of nearly 1,000 US‐based retailers having both an online and offline presence reveals that a high degree of integration across channels is relatively uncommon. On the contrary, the study reported here demonstrates that retailers are more likely to pursue easy‐to‐accomplish, low intensity, informational integration when developing an online presence, exemplified by such features as a listing of store locations or hours. Few retail websites offer complex integration capabilities, such as the ability to search local store inventories, or to pick up and return online purchases in a local outlet. Regression analyses reveal that the retail sector and firm resources help to explain this discrepancy. With regard to sector, some product types require more physical presence (e.g. in‐person inspection or interaction) than others, and a high degree of integration appears to require a level of investment and IT sophistication not always available to small retailers.
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