OMNICHANNEL CONSUMPTION BEHAVIOR IN CREDIT COOPERATIVES: DIFFERENCES FROM RETAIL AND STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS FOR CHANNEL INTEGRATION

Objective: To identify whether omnichannel consumption behavior is present in credit cooperatives, to verify how it differs from the omnichannel consumption behavior in Brazilian retail, and to analyze the strategic implications for channel integration. Methodology: The research used a case study with a theoretical, descriptive, and econometric approach based on 529 responses collected from July to September 2022 among the members of a credit cooperative. Relevance/originality: The study filled an essential gap in the current literature. Despite the growing relevance of credit cooperatives in Brazil, no studies were found focusing on omnichannel consumption behavior. Results: Our findings reveal that omnichannel consumption behavior is also present in credit cooperatives, and when the Omnichannel Consumers (OCC) are compared with the pattern of consumption in retail, the results differ significantly. Contributions: The results are significant for advancing the theory of omnichannel consumption behavior as they fill a gap in a specific and essential area of the Brazilian financial services sector. Given the nascent nature of academic research in credit cooperatives, demonstrating the differences in this behavior can expand further investigation. Furthermore, the findings can assist executives in the banking sector and other industries in better directing their channel integration strategies in Brazilian omnichannel consumption.