Sharing in Real and Virtual Spaces: A Motivational and Temporal Screen- Sharing Approach

Abstract

This study aims to identify the motivations explaining why customers are willing (or not) to engage in a shopping activity in which a digital screen is physically shared. While face-to-face interactions in the private sphere occur today around screens (Willman and Rainie 2013), “screen-sharing” practice between shop assistants and consumers constitutes a new phenomenon. The analysis of 20 semi-structured consumers’ interviews reveals three motivational dimensions of screen-sharing (utilitarian, social, and individual) in line with McClelland’s (1985) three big needs theory. Additionally, the findings underline that the perception of symmetric or asymmetric temporal relative availability of the partner impacts the intensities of the distinct motivational dimensions of the consumer to share a screen. These results lead to significant theoretical contributions about consumers’ willingness to experiment “phygital” hybrid experiences. By sharing a screen, they appear to anticipate the advantages of aggregating the real and virtual realm in a shared and simultaneous journey. The findings implicate that a screen-sharing activity with a shop assistant may satisfy customers’ needs when their relative perception of the shop assistant’s availability is in line with their dominant motive. This study constitutes a relevant contribution for retailers, regarding their stores’ digitalization and hybridization strategy.