Technology-enabled personalization in retail stores: Understanding drivers and barriers

Smart technologies grant brick-and-mortar retailers novel opportunities to introduce the amenities of online retailing, such as data-driven personalization, into physical interactions. Research on consumer reactions phenomenon technology-enabled personalization (TEP) in retail stores is scarce though, so current article proposes a conceptualization that demarcates TEP from broader notions personalization. Qualitative data 25 in-depth interviews reveal five drivers (utilitarian, hedonic, control, interaction, integration) and four barriers (exploitation, interaction misfit, privacy, lack confidence) consumers’ acceptance TEP. The juxtaposition these barriers, combination with insights prior literature, reveals success paradoxes for (exploration–limitation, staff presence–absence, humanization–dehumanization, personalization–privacy, personal–retailer devices). findings provide several theoretical managerial implications, well avenues further research.