Distribution channels that customers use to purchase services have changed significantly - shifting from traditional channels towards the adoption of the Internet - leading to a complex distribution network. Previous research on distribution channels is straightforward: on the one hand, a supply-side perspective on how distribution channels are considered when a service provider must select a channel strategy, and on the other hand, a demand-side perspective that reveals the view of the customer, once he/she is exposed to the multitude of channels through the information and booking interface(s). Despite these two perspectives, empirical studies in the hospitality industry, specifically in hotels, involving how multiple distribution channels (i.e. electronic and/or non-electronic) combine to influence customer satisfaction with multichannel distribution and customers’ intention to purchase the services from the service provider (i.e., hotels) are particularly scant. Most research on multichannel distribution has focused on either the electronic or the non-electronic market in the banking and retailing sectors which prevailed all former studies; scarce are the studies that proposed a combination of these two approaches i.e., both the electronic and non-electronic market. Moreover, although extensive research exists on the concept of customer loyalty and its measures and instruments, studies and research on how service providers (i.e., hotels) in the hotel industry adopt multichannel distribution and simultaneously manage their customer behavioral intention processes has not been investigated so far. Thus, this research intends to fill that void by examining how different characteristics, in a multichannel environment identified at the search process of a hotel room to reserve, can influence customer satisfaction with multichannel distribution, and customer purchase intention with the service provider.

Building on the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) theory, the author develops a conceptual model that integrates the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA).  Albeit being widely researched, the S-O-R model has not been subjected to the constructs of TRA in the hospitality industry. Moreover, the integrative use of these two important customer behavioral theories is a significant contribution to the electronic distribution channel context in hospitality. In order to gain a richer and deeper understanding, a mixed methods approach was adopted. On the one hand, in depth data was collected through semi-structured interviews with hotelier experts and multichannel customers and lead to the formulation of a tentative theoretical framework. On the other hand, a web-based survey was completed by a panel of individuals and lead to an optimized theoretical framework (in which constructs were eliminated due to their insignificant value).

Structural equation modeling (SEM) is employed to analyze data collected from 220 French and British individuals. The results reveal that purchase intention of the hotel room can be explained as a response to both environmental stimuli and cognitive and affective processing. Specifically, perceived quality and perceived value of a distribution channel as well as information consistency (precisely price parity) and security and privacy can stimulate customers’ satisfaction with the distribution channels, which in turn leads to the purchase intention from the hotel. However, constructs such as subjective norms and channel switching difficulty were found to not significantly moderate the relationship between environmental stimuli and multichannel attitude and satisfaction. Hence, they were eliminated from the theoretical framework.

Theoretically, this research provides a unique explanation of what factors impact customer satisfaction with a distribution channel and influence their purchase intention with the hotel. The findings also provide managerial implications on dealing with hotel multiple distribution channels in response to how these affect customers’ satisfaction and purchase intentions.

To conclude, it is recognized that the generalization of the findings is context-specific to the hotel sector and therefore is restricted. A number of areas for future research are identified to extend the boundaries of this research.