Are you afraid of shopping? Consumers’ adaptive responses under crises

ABSTRACT Globally, people have been subjected to enormous changes as a result of several unexpected crises. Recent research has shown that external threats have an impact on the customer experience as they influence consumers’ emotions, which in turn affect their attitudes and shopping practices. For better understanding of the perceived future, this study explores customer experiences by focusing on Finnish consumers’ adaptability to disruptions caused by threats and uncertainty within the retail context. Using an electronic questionnaire, qualitative data were collected from Finnish consumers (N = 995) on their retail shopping experiences during the latest global crisis, COVID-19. The study applies a conceptual framework of consumers’ adaptive responses to ontological insecurity as affective, behavioral, or cognitive in the retail shopping context due to threat and uncertainty. As a contribution to existing research, our findings enable us to identify four distinct types of consumer ‘adaptive’ responses: the adjustable consumer type, the interaction-seeking consumer type, the suspicious consumer type, and the prohibiting consumer type. In terms of managerial implications, the findings will help retailers understand customer experiences of threats and create better customer experiences by considering the diversity of those experiences in the four consumer types identified.


Introduction
Our era is characterized by a multitude of threats -ranging from natural disasters and global migration to misinformation and to economic, institutional, and technological shifts -that perpetually disrupt and reshape consumers' lives (Bardhi et al. 2017).Earlier literature has shown that existential threats such as natural disasters, global migration, misinformation, economic downturns and rapid technological changes, pandemics, and other crises can significantly disrupt consumers' sense of ontological security (Bardhi et al. 2017;Campbell et al. 2020).Such threats are shared by large groups of consumers but are also felt individually.The concept of 'ontological insecurity' is invoked when threats result in disruptions to consumers' established norms, beliefs, routines, and practices.
Ontological security reflects the extent to which consumers perceive their world, and their role in it, as stable and predictable (Cannon et al. 2019).
Because threats cause uncertainty, they disrupt a consumer's living environments.Previous research on consumers supports what was recognized during the COVID-19 pandemic: Because ongoing threats and uncertainty are predominant in a crisis, consumers struggle to make sense of what is happening, as they have to learn new daily practices and behave in alignment with these new practices when purchasing and consuming products (Campbell et al. 2020;Humphreys and Thompson 2014;Phipps and Ozanne 2017;Thompson 2005).Furthermore, retailers are required to quickly develop alternative ways to offer their products and services to consumers and ensure consumer security.They are also forced to reconsider consumers' emotions and understand their new expectations regarding the customer experience.
Our study investigates customer experiences among a sample of 995 Finnish consumers, focusing on their adaptability to disruptions caused by threats and uncertainty that lead to changes in shopping practices in the retail context.We adopt Verhoef et al.'s (2009) multidimensional definition of customer experience, which encompasses a holistic view involving the consumer's cognitive, emotional, social, and physical interactions with the retailer.Building on existing research, we recognize that the entire shopping environment profoundly influences customer experiences by affecting consumers' emotions, moods, attitudes, and behaviors (Campbell et al. 2020;Chamlee-Wright 2017;Donovan and Rossiter 1982;Storr, Haeffele-Balch, and Grube 2015).We also incorporate insights from Sachdeva and Goel (2015), who emphasized the emotional intensity generated during specific shopping moments.According to their framework, consumers seek service and communication that captivate their senses, touch their emotions, and engage their intellect.In real-world situations characterized by uncertainty and crises, threats are found to significantly influence customer experiences (Campbell et al. 2020).The term 'adaptiveness' in the present study refers to the various strategies consumers employ to adjust their daily shopping habits in response to changing and uncertain circumstances (see Campbell et al. 2020).
The literature categorizes consumers' responses into affective, cognitive, and behavioral domains, which are strongly interrelated (Campbell et al. 2020).Affectively, ontological (in)security and threats generate strong emotional reactions like fear, stress, anger, frustration, or even depression due to perceived threats and uncertainties (Carver, Scheier, and Weintraub 1989).Cognitively, threats and disruptions impact consumers through loss of control (Beck et al. 2020;Van Bergen and Laran 2016) and selfregulation (Van Bergen and Laran 2016), helplessness (Chaxel 2016), loneliness (Su, Wen Wan, and Jiang 2019), need for connection (Rindfleisch, Burroughs, and Wong 2009), and mortality salience (Ferraro, Shiv, and Bettman 2005).Uncertainty also emerges as a specific cognitive response, influencing product availability, planning horizons, and even the trustworthiness of available information (Shen, Hsee, and Talloen 2019).Furthermore, uncertainty affects affective decision-making (Faraji-Rad and Tuan Pham 2017), possibly making consumers more emotionally driven -especially during a pandemic (Campbell et al. 2020).These affective and cognitive states serve as mediators leading from perceived insecurity to behavioral responses that may come out (e.g. as new practices) during daily shopping.For instance, consumers might diverge from their usual choices when trying to cope with disruptions during times of trouble (Phipps and Ozanne 2017).Certain events that create a significant divide between 'before' and 'after' may even prompt a 'new start' mindset, leading to new consumer choices (Price et al. 2018).
Because it's essential for retailers to address variations among a diverse consumer base, they have had to completely reorient their sales strategies under crises.This is crucial for offering the right mix of products and services tailored to different customer needs.Existing research indicates that engaged consumers significantly contribute to a retail company's long-term value through lifetime value, referral value, influencer value, and knowledge (Das and Rajesh 2010).Developing effective sales strategies is unattainable without scrutinizing the customer experiences that unfold during everyday shopping interactions.When retailers achieve a sufficient level of customer understanding, adaptive responses can be employed, enabling both the market and consumers to better adapt to evolving environments (Campbell et al. 2020).According to Briedis et al. (2020), a profitable retailer must continually adapt to meet the ever-evolving demands of customer experiences.Focusing on customer experiences, we have analyzed the affective, cognitive, and behavioral domains of consumers' adaptive responses.With this backdrop, our study addresses the following research question: How do consumers adaptively respond while shopping in the retail environment under conditions of threats and uncertainty?
Our study contributes to ongoing theoretical debate on how consumers adaptively respond to threats, as evidenced through their shopping experiences.Based on consumers' adaptive responses, our findings suggest four consumer types that respond to global threats amid crises in the retail shopping context: the adjustable consumer, the interaction-seeking consumer, the suspicious consumer, and the prohibiting consumer.The adjustable consumer type was constructed in experiences that revealed how consumers had positive attitudes towards surviving through the global threat.Interactionseeking and suspicious consumer types were constructed in experiences that revealed how consumers had positive or negative attitudes towards the global threat, and the prohibiting consumer type was constructed in customer experiences characterized by nonacceptance and even denying surprising changes.Due to the considerable number of answers to our questionnaire and open-ended questions, we interpret these consumer types as illustrative of the general types of Finnish consumers in the retail context during COVID-19.

Theoretical background
Our study advances earlier understanding of customer experience (Campbell et al. 2020;Chamlee-Wright 2017;Gigliotti and Rizzi 2023) by illuminating how consumers adaptively respond to crises that heighten their sense of insecurity and create a feeling of threat and uncertainty.We first focus on the significance of customer experience as a multidimensional formation that is holistic in nature (Campbell et al. 2020;Chamlee-Wright 2017;Donovan and Rossiter 1982;Sachdeva and Goel 2015;Storr, Haeffele-Balch, and Grube 2015;Verhoef et al. 2009).Second, we take a look at consumers' adaptability to disruptions caused by threats and uncertainty that lead to changes of their shopping practices within the retail context.The earlier literature categorizes consumer adaptive responses into affective, cognitive, and behavioral domains that are strongly interrelated (Campbell et al. 2020).

Customer experience
Business leaders believe that the customer experience is central to a firm's competitiveness.According to Briedis et al. (2020), to succeed and remain profitable, retailers have to work hard to meet ever-evolving customer experience requirements.Earlier research has shown that a well-created customer experience is a great opportunity for a firm's success (Lipkin 2016).In particular, current research underlines the crucial role of customer experience within the consumers that is influenced by the context in which the interaction between a consumer and a company takes place (Koponen and Julkunen 2017;Same and Jorma 2012).Earlier business-to-consumer research addressed how positive customer experiences relate to appropriate sales interactions between consumers and salespeople (Koponen and Julkunen 2017).Therefore, daily interactions with consumers can enhance the formation of long-term customer relationships that enable a company to succeed during challenging times (Grewal, Levy, and Kumar 2009).Karpen and Conduit (2020) discussed the importance of creating an emotional connection with customers; they emphasized that companies must be able to understand and empathize with customers' feelings to create a positive customer experience (Karpen and Conduit 2020).
Because today's development of a new retailing environment involves a customercentric lens with technology-enabled insights, there is a focus on technology usage with the aim of a better customer experience.Gigliotti and Rizzi (2023) indicated that retailers are expected to continuously adapt to consumers' changing needs and provide a more personalized experience.The researchers addressed this as the only way to ensure that consumers remain loyal and continue shopping with them, even when the crisis is over.
Digital-first and online shopping retailers can pivot to new realities more easily, but retailers whose main focus is on physical stores and face-to-face meetings confront a more challenging prospect.A number of consumers use online shopping models, such as buying online and using in-store pickup services or home delivery -approaches that are clearly here to stay.In-person interaction has been taken over by digitalization to a considerable extent, and much of this shift appears to be permanent (Briedis et al. 2020).Indeed, after the global pandemic, consumers have interacted with firms through myriad touch points in multiple digital channels and media, which makes the customer experience even more social in nature (Briedis et al. 2020).
Even though there is ample research on customer experience in the retail context (e.g.Bagdare and Jain 2013;Grewal, Levy, and Kumar 2009;Verhoef et al. 2009), little is known about the customer experience in retail shopping during a global crisis, such as the latest COVID-19 pandemic.During and after times of uncertainty or exceptional circumstances, consumers always respond to markets in a manner distinct from their usual interactions in more stable periods (Arora et al. 2020).Onward, the key to success for any retailer is to understand its consumers, as Grewal, Levy, and Kumar (2009) stated before the pandemic.Karpen and Conduit (2020) underlined the importance of looking ahead and planning for the future.Companies must consider the needs of their consumers, such as how the unexpected crisis may impact consumers' lives, as well as the company's own goals and strategies.Moreover, companies must be proactive in adapting to the ever-changing landscape of customer positiveexperience formation.They should anticipate customer needs and use data to inform their decisions.To better understand the perceived future, this study explores customer experiences by focusing on Finnish consumers' adaptability to disruptions caused by threats and uncertainty that lead to changes of their shopping practices within the retail context.

Consumers' adaptive responses to threats and uncertainty
Global crises can fundamentally alter customer experiences, disrupt everyday life actions, and therefore influence consumers' adaptive responses, which can be categorized into affective, cognitive, and behavioral domains (Campbell et al. 2020).The repercussions of threats can manifest at various levels, ranging from the individual to local, national, and even global scales.The absence of reliable information, the presence of misinformation, and conflicting data compromise consumers' capacities to comprehend, strategize, and cope with health, economic, and social threats.Recent research by Gigliotti and Rizzi (2023) indicates that major crises, encompassing a diverse array of threats and uncertainties, not only transform customer experiences but also drive consumers to seek alternative shopping practices.Even though threats and uncertainty interrupt the norms, beliefs, and practices of normal life, earlier research has shown that consumers are capable of adapting to the changes brought about by unexpected times through their shopping practices, especially in terms of adopting new habits and technologies (Karpen and Conduit 2020).
According to Campbell et al. (2020) categorization, affective responses pertain to the emotional responses of consumers.Feelings like fear or insecurity or even positive memories for pre-crisis times can heavily influence shopping patterns.Affective responses may manifest as increased brand loyalty or emotional purchasing -opting for products that offer comfort or a sense of security.Regarding consumers' affective responses, e.g. a feeling of security, many consumers are more risk-averse and more focused on ensuring their health and safety practices during times of trouble.For instance, consumers often prefer online products and services.Referring to health risks (Galoni, Carpenter, and Rao 2020), economic downturns (Lowe et al. 2019), or social unrest, consumers' responses are multifold, affecting both their cognitive and their affective responses.During healthrelated crises, consumers have been shown to exhibit fear and avoidance (Neuberg, Kenrick, and Schaller 2011).Economic uncertainties bring about financial anxieties affecting household stability, and social threats induce emotions like outrage and fear (Rozin, Jonathin, and Clark 2008).
Cognitive responses involve the thought processes and decision-making mechanisms that consumers employ (Campbell et al. 2020).In times of crisis, consumers may engage in more rational, research-based purchasing decisions.There is often an uptick in comparing prices, reading reviews, and consulting trusted sources before making a purchase, reflecting heightened cognitive engagement.Consumers' cognitive responses have an impact of loss of control (Beck et al. 2020), loneliness (Su, Wen Wan, and Jiang 2019), and need for connection (Rindfleisch, Burroughs, and Wong 2009).Moreover, cognitive responses have been shown to have a connection to mortality salience, which has an impact on consumers' preferences and indulgences (Mandel and Smeesters 2008;Rindfleisch, Burroughs, and Wong 2009).Uncertainty also acts as a form of cognitive response (Shen, Hsee, and Talloen 2019), affecting both product availability and the reliability of information, which in turn has implications for consumers' emotional states (Faraji-Rad and Tuan Pham 2017).
The intricate interplay of cognitive and affective responses can result in a variety of behavioral coping strategies (Melumad and Tuan Pham 2020).Behavioral responses encompass the tangible actions taken by consumers (Campbell et al. 2020).In situations characterized by low control or elevated stress, consumers may gravitate toward trusted brands or rely on devices such as smartphones for psychological solace.They may also break away from usual preferences, adopting new practices (Phipps and Ozanne 2017) or embracing a 'fresh start mindset,' leading to changes in their product and service considerations (Carufel 2020;Price et al. 2018).
The global crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic significantly accelerated the integration of technology into various aspects of consumers' lives, creating a complex relationship between technology and consumer responses.While these technologymediated spaces provide some semblance of normality, the loss of face-to-face interaction has had its drawbacks.People have shown mixed feelings toward remote work (Carufel 2020), for example.Simultaneously, the omnipresence of technology has been balanced by a resurgence of low-tech family activities, such as outdoor trips (Allwood 2020).Such an environment has also proven fertile for creativity and risk-taking among consumers.Altered perceptions of risk and a heightened focus on current activities, induced by the pandemic, have led to innovative solutions and new behaviors (Lamberton and Wood 2020).

Methodology
As for the philosophical foundation and methodological decisions of our study, a qualitative research method was used because it is particularly beneficial for capturing the nuanced and complex realities we aimed to explore (Eriksson and Kovalainen 2015).Furthermore, the concept of subjectivism was utilized, following the outline by Guba and Lincoln (1994), to guide our approach.Subjectivism was considered an appropriate lens for this study because it aligns with the notion that reality is largely constructed through individuals' subjective perceptions and interpretations.In accordance with Croucher and Cronn-Mills (2014), we agree that subjective understandings are key to grasping the complexities of human experience.By incorporating subjectivism, we were able to delve more deeply into the personal experiences and perceptions of individuals, thereby enriching the comprehensiveness and depth of our research findings.

Data collection
The raw data were collected via a web-based questionnaire, including background variables and open-ended questions (see Appendix A).We asked consumers to describe their customer experiences and indicate whether they had visited a brick-and-mortar store, an online store, or both.The survey was sent to 100,000 Finnish people aged 20-69 years through email and several social media channels (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp).We received 1,080 responses, with 995 people in the final sample consenting to participate in this research.Because the number of Finns aged 20-69 years was 3,472,558 in 2020 (Statistic Finland 2023), our results represent the perceptions of Finnish consumers in that age cohort, with a confidence level of 99% and a 4% margin of error.The study did not include people 70 years of age or over, as in spring 2020 (the time the data were collected), anyone aged 70 or over was ordered to remain home and use either online shopping or to have someone do their shopping.When designing and distributing the questionnaire, the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation was considered.To be included in the final sample, the respondents had to have had a customer experience and had to have made a purchasing decision during the COVID-19 crisis.Figure 1 shows the gender, age, employment, and retailing environment of the customer experience among respondents.

Analysis
Following Eriksson and Kovalainen (2015), we recognized theory-driven theme analysis as an appropriate and beneficial method for understanding how different people view and interpret a particular research phenomenon.Theory-driven theme analysis opens insights into different interpretations of a given theme and concludes the meanings that are embedded in qualitative data, including how a particular theme is represented, interpreted, and understood, involving the values, beliefs, and ideas of different people (Eriksson and Kovalainen 2015).
During the initial analysis, two researchers transcribed, encoded, and structured the primary data.Throughout the analysis, we were open to moving back and forth between the raw data from the open-ended questions and the analysis to acquire a holistic picture of the data.The first step was to understand and organize all the raw data under the themes connected with previous understanding of consumers' adaptive response types (affective, cognitive, behavioral), as presented by Campbell et al. (2020)  pertain to the emotional responses of consumers.As mentioned, feelings like fear or insecurity or even positive memories from pre-crisis times can heavily influence shopping patterns.Affective responses may manifest as increased brand loyalty or emotional purchasing -opting for products that offer comfort or a sense of security.
Cognitive responses involve the thought processes and decision-making mechanisms that consumers employ (Campbell et al. 2020).Again, in times of crisis, consumers may engage in more rational, research-based purchasing decisions.There is often an uptick in comparing prices, reading reviews, and consulting trusted sources before making a purchase, reflecting heightened cognitive engagement.Behavioral responses encompass the tangible actions taken by consumers (Campbell et al. 2020).The affective and cognitive domains serve as mediators leading from perceived insecurity to behavioral responses that may emerge, for example as new practices, during daily shopping.Examples include a shift to online shopping, bulk buying, or focusing on essential items only.Behavioral changes may also involve a decrease in impulse buying or an increase in using digital methods for both research and transactions.Table 1 illustrates how we defined the constructs and how they were present in our data.
As is shown in Table 1, our analysis suggests four consumer types that respond to global threats amid crises in the retail shopping context: the adjustable consumer, the interaction-seeking consumer, the suspicious consumer, and the prohibiting consumer.These types reveal valuable insights into how different consumers adaptively respond to threat and uncertainty impacting their shopping practices during an unexpected crisis (such as COVID-19).

Findings
In the study, we asked how consumers adaptively respond while shopping in a retail environment under conditions of threats and uncertainty.Using a web-based questionnaire, we collected data regarding Finnish consumers' customer experiences and analyzed their adaptive responses to a global threat amid crises in the retail shopping context.Our findings indicate four distinct consumer types: adjustable, interactionseeking, suspicious, and prohibiting.Due to the large number of responses to our qualitative questionnaire (n = 995), we suggest that the categories of consumer types demonstrate general types among Finnish consumers, involving their own typical ways of adaptively responding during a global crisis in the retailing context.We thus argue that each consumer type outlines a framework for constructing customer experiences in highly uncertain contexts.Our findings reveal varying responses across these consumer types: affective responses are most evident among 'suspicious consumers,' whereas 'adjustable consumers' primarily exhibit cognitive responses.Intriguingly, behavioral responses are divided into positive and negative: 'interaction-seeking consumers' displayed behavioral adaptations focusing on a need for interaction (positive), while 'prohibiting consumers' engaged in behavior reflecting a view that they were neglecting the crisis and therefore there was no need to change behaviors while shopping in a retail environment (negative).Below, we summarize these consumer types and substantiate our conclusions with brief descriptive quotations.

Affective adaptation
According to Campbell et al. (2020), affective responses are related to increased brand loyalty or emotional purchasing.Under uncertainty and threats, consumers have been shown to exhibit e.g.fear and avoidance and feelings of security; health risks, economic downturns, and social unrest are often recognized as pushing affective responses.During times of upheaval, consumers gravitate toward brands that offer emotional security, as these brands often invoke feelings of comfort and stability.Moreover, consumers are more susceptible to strong emotions like fear and outrage, which can significantly impact their buying choices.

Suspicious consumers
In our findings, the suspicious consumer type (n = 299) exhibited affective responses to the global threats amid the crisis.They adapted to the exceptional situation brought on by COVID-19 with feelings of uncertainty and fear.Simply put, they feared the new and unexpected situation caused by the pandemic and felt an ongoing threat and the danger of becoming infected during the customer experience.Because they were afraid of interacting with others, these consumers changed their entire shopping practices and routines.When possible, they sought to avoid all human contact; they visited retail stores only when necessary and organized those rare visits carefully.Moreover, suspicious consumers were very strict about keeping a safe distance, as the following quotations illustrate: [I had] a detailed list according to how the products have been organized in the store.I visit the store only once a week. . . .The most important thing is to distance myself from other people.
I'm walking around with my hands in my pocket and at some point I was wearing disposable gloves.
I was afraid to ask anybody anything at the store, because then I would have been too close to the salesperson.I went through the route quickly, as I didn't want to stop for chit-chat with anyone I know inside the store, for example.
To manage their concerns during shopping, suspicious consumers expected that customer service and salespeople would control the situation in stores.However, they did not have a willingness to take responsibility in the challenging situation or participate in any action together with other consumers or service staff.They aimed to reinforce feelings of security through their own behaviors and strove to comply strictly with all recommended precautions.Several suspicious consumers even felt they had no choice but to order all the products they needed from online stores, which strengthened their feelings of safety: I don't go to the store until night. . . .The safety distance should be maintained at all stages of the transaction.
Because of the pandemic, I prefer using online stores, and in this situation I actually think of it as the only option.
The online store and service work fine.The price isn't the cheapest, but for now this is the best and safest way.
For suspicious consumers, the importance of physical distancing was high.If store personnel or other consumers came too close, their customer experience would be negatively affected, as they felt threatened by the situation.If suspicious consumers had to go to a traditional store, it was always done as quickly as possible to avoid human contact to the greatest extent possible.The changes in routines and practices led suspicious consumers to decide that they had lost the freedom to wander around stores.
People avoid each other in stores much more than before.I avoid others a bit myself.The shop will be run alone, previously with the whole family.The under-school-age child is not involved in much of the trade so far.

Cognitive adaptation
According to Campbell et al. (2020), consumers' cognitive adaptation refers to rational processes and decision-making mechanisms that consumers employ in times of crisis.There is often an uptick in, e.g.comparing prices, reading reviews, and consulting trusted sources before making a purchase, reflecting heightened cognitive engagement.In particular, cognitively adjustable consumers concentrate on product availability, planning horizons, and the trustworthiness of available information that indeed have an impact on their buying choices.

Adjustable consumers
We also observed an adjustable consumer type (n = 337) who displayed cognitive responses to global threats amid crises.These adjustable consumers had a deep understanding of the influence of COVID-19 and sought to adapt to the unexpected threats and the changes they brought.Even though they recognized a strong uncertainty and took the crisis seriously, they expressed having a positive attitude toward surviving the crisis and having a high willingness to find a solution to overcome the crisis through logical thinking.They were open to shopping in retail stores, interacting with customer service staff, and being around other consumers.However, to avoid excessive communication with others, as was recommended during the crisis, they also revealed an openness to using online sales channels.Taking advantage of a new shopping channel, some adjustable consumers began ordering groceries online for pickup or using home delivery options.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, I hadn't been using the grocery store's online service, but now that I've become familiar with it, it's very easy and I plan on using it again.
Adjustable consumers actively recognized the changes in safety and health recommendations that influenced their shopping practices (e.g.adapting their daily shopping routines and wearing masks and gloves when recommended).They were satisfied with how their needs were being met by retailers and customer service and were open to finding positive aspects in changing retail practices during the crisis.In addition to their own shopping practices as adjustable consumers, these consumers also observed the staff of retail stores.In particular, adjustable consumers were powerfully influenced by good customer service, which they described as knowledgeable behavior that supported their expectations of safety.For instance, they identified how customer service took physical distancing into account, offered hand sanitizers to all consumers, and shared information with a professional service orientation.The next quotations illustrate the adjustable consumers' adaptive responses: I think customer service has been very customer-centric and it has acknowledged the consumer well, with social distancing and the use of plexiglass at counters.Stores have been making sure that safe distancing has been observed, hand sanitizer has been available, and plexiglass has been used between the staff and consumers.In some places they also wear face shields.There's a lot of information available.
I think the pandemic increased the desire of us humans to blow together and support each other.
In particular, changes in retailing routines and practices meant a possibility for adjustable consumers to stay safe and do their daily shopping during the crisis, which led to a restored sense of the customer experience.This was realized through strong confidence in the professional skills of retailers and customer service to manage interactions and daily routines in the stores during the crisis.
Customer service works very well.Service management and staff take care of safety practices in the store.

Behavioral adaptation
Based on Campbell et al. (2020), behavioral adaptation refers to behavioral responses encompassing tangible actions, such as new practices during daily shopping.Examples include a shift to online shopping, bulk buying, or focusing on essential items only.Behavioral changes may also involve a decrease in impulse buying or an increase in using digital methods for both research and transactions.

Interaction-seeking consumers
We identified interaction-seeking consumers (n = 240) who revealed a need for interaction in their behavioral responses to threats and uncertainty.These consumers emphasized the importance of customer service and reciprocity with staff during their shopping experiences.For these individuals, kindness and good customer service had the most significant impacts on their customer experiences.Having a different perspective from that of adjustable consumers, they had a strong need for interaction with both consumers and salespeople during their daily shopping.These consumers expected that they would be recognized in retail stores.They appreciated the friendliness and personalized customer service of retail employees.If these features were missing, their customer experiences were negatively affected, as shown in the following quotations: I've never experienced anything like this before the COVID-19 pandemic.There was no interaction in the customer experience.
It feels rude that people barely greet you in stores.
Interaction-seeking consumers were open to changes in their shopping practices.For example, the use of e-commerce was accepted as one way to shop.Interestingly, their interaction-seeking was also prevalent in e-commerce.The findings reveal the importance of interaction within all retail channels; it was not expected only in traditional stores.Because personal interaction between the consumer and the sales representative during the customer experience indicates appreciation for the consumer, a sales representative's willingness to interact is expected and evaluated.If that kind of interaction was lacking, these consumers felt that they were not welcome in the store: It is important to me that you are reachable and the connection plays quickly and carefully.The customer service representative was online and instructed the whole process, really great service and easy!I got more personal service.I felt my needs were concentrated on.
Interaction happened as if in an online store, using email. . . .A little warmth in the standard replies and an extra-caring attitude, for example, with the product delay in question.
It is essential that during the ordering phase I can get help and more information when I need it via the Chat function . . .Normal interaction, distance only greater.
The customer experiences of this consumer type placed particular emphasis on the availability of customer service and the importance of the presence of a customer service representative.A deficiency in these areas negatively affected the overall customer experience.
Even though the salesperson wanted to keep a safe distance, they could have been friendlier and had a better attitude to selling, which would have meant that I wouldn't have been left with such an unpleasant impression of them.I can't remember ever seeing a salesperson acting so strangely.The salesperson must have been so frightened that they dared not be at even a safe distance.

Prohibiting consumers
The findings also exposed behavioral adaptation in the prohibiting consumer type (n = 119).The behaviors of these consumers indicated that they ignored the crisis and that there was no need to change behaviors while shopping in a retail environment.They were very disappointed with the sanctions resulting from the pandemic and the behavior of others (e.g. if another consumer was trying to avoid them in a store).In addition, they were annoyed by consumers who had changed their behaviors due to the COVID-19 situation.Other people's behavior and the situation in the crisis had a major impact on the customer experiences of these prohibiting consumers, for whom it was typical to underestimate the dangers of the crisis and scoff at the protocols it entailed.One reason prohibiting consumers did not appreciate the new guidelines was that they did not want to accept how powerfully the crisis had influenced those around them: Other people were quite hysterical, avoiding all human contact in stores, meaning that they rushed and hid behind the shelves when someone happened to step in front of them.Basic respect towards other people would be ok, let others do their thing, but they should remember moderation and not get too hysterical or try to cause panic.
The whole making a fuss of COVID-19 is pointless.
My customer experiences have been difficult and disappointing.I don't quite understand why entrepreneurs make things worse by making customer experiences very difficult for the consumer.
Prohibiting consumers did not accept the necessity for changing health-related behavior corresponding to COVID-19 and sometimes reported acting arrogantly when the effects of the pandemic were under discussion.Prohibiting consumers voiced the opinion that 'before, everything was better.'For these consumers, it was typical to compare everything with the time before COVID-19.In particular, they repeatedly emphasized their wish to return to the old, 'normal' situation: It used to be better before.
The most important thing is for the situation to get back to normal, so that people can easily do business in public places.
The salesperson didn't give me the kind of shopping experience and service I'm normally used to.

Discussion
In the present study, we asked how consumers adaptively respond while shopping in a retail environment under conditions of threats and uncertainty.Using a web-based questionnaire, we collected data regarding Finnish consumers' (N = 995) customer THE INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF RETAIL, DISTRIBUTION AND CONSUMER RESEARCH experiences and analyzed their adaptive responses to global threats amid crises in the retail shopping context.
Our study contributes to ongoing theoretical debate on how consumers adaptively respond to threats, as evidenced through their shopping experiences amid a global crisis.Thereby, we first confirm earlier literature (Campbell et al. 2020;Chamlee-Wright 2017;Donovan and Rossiter 1982;Storr, Haeffele-Balch, and Grube 2015) indicating that the entire shopping environment has a profound impact on customer experiences.Second, we applied the concept of the customer experience for a new understanding of consumers' adaptive responses to threat and uncertainty.The term 'adaptiveness' refers to the various strategies consumers employ to adjust their daily shopping practices in response to changing and uncertain circumstances (see Campbell et al. 2020).Third, the study reveals four distinct consumer types: the adjustable consumer, the interactionseeking consumer, the suspicious consumer, and the prohibiting consumer.Interestingly, these four types offer a lens for the variety of consumers' adaptive responses in affective, cognitive, and behavioral domains during times of uncertainty.
Our findings extend those of Arora et al. (2020), who showed that, during and after uncertain and exceptional times, customers tend to engage with businesses in different ways than they previously did.Specifically, Figure 2 shows a conceptual framework for consumers' adaptive responses to ontological insecurity in the retail shopping context.The figure illustrates how consumers adaptively respond to ontological insecurity (see Campbell et al. 2020) due to threat and uncertainty in the retail shopping context, whether involving shopping in a traditional brick-and-mortar store, an online store, or in combination.In our findings, consumers responded affectively, behaviorally, or cognitively to the uncertain situation.Affective adaptation, applied by suspicious consumers, led to self-reported negative or positive customer experiences.Behavioral adaptation was applied by prohibiting consumers and interaction-seeking consumers.For prohibiting consumers, who tended to neglect the threat and uncertainty, the customer experience was perceived as negative.Instead, for interaction-seeking consumers, the customer experience was perceived to be positive (when receiving supportive and polite customer service) or negative (when not having any interaction with salespeople or customer

Behavioral adaptation
The type of suspicious consumer The type of adjustable consumer The type of prohibiting consumer The type of interaction-seeking consumer service personnel).Cognitive adaptation was applied by adjustable consumers, who reported having positive customer experience while shopping in a retail store.This new understanding helps researchers grasp the variation in consumers' adaptation responses based on data collected in real-life settings.The suspicious consumer type represents an affective adaptation expressed in shopping with traditional or online stores.Their customer experience was constructed to solve all shopping needs without interacting with others.Therefore, having other people involved in their shopping often negatively affected their customer experiences by creating even more fear for them.For this consumer type, safe distances and wordless interactions were highly relevant, with functioning e-commerce processes also playing an important role.Suspicious consumers, therefore, changed their shopping behaviors and no longer felt free to wander around a store.In our findings, this type built their shopping practices on the basis of receiving products through online sales to the greatest possible extent, which stands in stark contrast to Campbell et al. (2020), who emphasized that the interaction between a consumer and a company typically involves a consumer's understanding of a company's brand, product, and/or service.
The adjustable consumer type offers a lens for cognitive adaptation expressed in shopping in traditional stores.The adjustable consumer strove to respond positively to change and aimed to do their best to adapt to a new situation.Such consumers had an attitude of solidarity, of all being in this situation together, and of surviving as a group.In our findings, the customer experience was constructed through the safety offered by customer service approaches that took physical distancing into account, offered hand sanitizers to all consumers, and shared information with a professional service orientation.While Campbell et al. (2020) showed that the customer experience includes the interaction between a consumer and a company and involves a consumer's understanding of a company's brand, product, and/or service, we reveal the role of service as the most crucial aspect for adjustable consumers.Under threat, adjustable consumers were pleased when interaction was good and general guidelines and policies were followed.Moreover, our findings offer new insight into research that shows how consumers seek to restore old practices, align new practices, and purchase and consume products in the safest possible way (Humphreys and Thompson 2014;Phipps and Ozanne 2017;Thompson 2005).Even though the experiences of adjustable consumers included a number of new requirements by the retailers and service staff compared with the time before COVID-19, adjustable consumers were willing to share uncertainty with others in crisis and change their shopping practices.
Both the interaction-seeking and the prohibiting consumer types express behavioral adaptation.The interaction-seeking consumer shows both positive and negative experiences in shopping in traditional and online stores.In particular, interaction-seeking consumers suffered when the customer experience did not include interaction.This finding extends those of Koponen and Julkunen (2017) by showing that the customer experience of these consumers was strongly constructed on the basis that interactions led to feelings of security.The experience of interaction-seeking consumers was strongly built on emotions related to interactions with the retailer and service staff.This finding extends earlier research (Babin, Darden, and Griffin 1994;Donovan and Rossiter 1982) by showing how emotions impact consumer behavior during unexpected and global crises.During the crisis, these consumers continuously observed how interactions with retailers and service staff worked.Specifically, their experiences of interaction had a strong impact on their shopping behaviors.When interactions were good, they were able to follow general guidelines and policies.These consumers felt that they were not welcome in a store if their interactions with the staff were deficient.Referring to Campbell et al. (2020), we contribute by showing the increasingly important role of consumer -company interaction.
The fourth type, prohibiting consumers, was irritated by the changes caused by the COVID-19 crisis.They were annoyed by people who avoided them because they had a great desire to have everything return to normal as soon as possible.They wanted to maintain the same behaviors they had before the crisis.Indeed, it was significant for this type to be allowed to shop in stores as normally as the situation permitted.
The four consumer types provide a new understanding based on how the positive and negative customer experience led to varied shopping practices.Such new understanding can support retailers in developing their strategies, shopping environments, customer services in the future.
As consumers under threat struggled to make sense of what had been happening, they tried to restore practices, align new practices, and purchase and consume products in the safest way possible (Humphreys and Thompson 2014;Phipps and Ozanne 2017;Thompson 2005).It was emphasized that retailers should change their operations to shift from a focus on selling goods to selling a service that included -and even foregrounded -safe interactions with consumers.Focusing on safety guidelines and the different needs of consumers and serving those needs accordingly can lead to great customer service experiences and positive behaviors, which are valued today more than ever before (Sachdeva and Goel 2015).

Managerial implications
Regarding managerial implications, the present study suggests ways to create better customer experiences and develop new retail practices, such as better online shopping and home delivery and new services in retail stores.Companies need to understand how to take consumers into consideration in exceptional times and how to prepare for, identify, and understand possible changes in consumers' behaviors (Becker and Elina 2019).It is valuable for companies to know what kind of customer experiences people had during threat and uncertainty (with COVID-19) to be better prepared for future crises of whatever kind.The number of interactions people had during this exceptional time dropped to a minimum, which was very painful for many people in Finland as it greatly increased their feelings of loneliness.As retail stores were still a place where people had the opportunity to meet others, the importance of interactions with personnel increased.
For a retailer to remain competitive in today's world, it must have a variety of options for consumers to make purchases.During a crisis, it is important that retailers know how to consider all four consumer types found in the present study.For example, if a retailer is using a multichannel strategy, this allows all consumers to choose the channel that is best for them.Moreover, in marketing, options should be emphasized to target each consumer group in specific ways.If the retailer has a multichannel strategy, emphasis should be placed on all purchasing channels -from the traditional brick-and-mortar store to online purchases and home delivery options.In uncertain times, when people are afraid of getting infected in a physical store, it is important for retailers to emphasize that extra measures are being taken to keep their premises clean and thus safe.Moreover, it is essential to keep the shopping environment at a level that will meet the needs of consumers who shop in person so that it feels like a good, clean, and safe place to be.In a traditional store, things such as visual appearance, the quality of music, and the organization of products can all create a better customer experience.A beautifully laid-out environment can be a source of pleasure for consumers.For a number of people, such an environment might also allow them to focus on something other than fear.If retailers want to create an enjoyable multisensory emotional experience for consumers, they should emphasize the aesthetics of their stores.
Moreover, we argue that it is crucial to understand the customer experience and the role of interaction in retail shopping during crises.As a consequence of COVID-19, we can now be better prepared for future crisis situations.The value of the customer experience shows no signs of diminishing due to globalization, social media, and changes in consumers' expectations.It is crucial to note that, during exceptional periods, the importance of great customer experiences actually grows enormously.Consumers now interact with firms through myriad touchpoints in multiple channels and media, which has made customer experiences even more social in nature (Lemon and Verhoef 2016).Although a number of people, especially suspicious consumers, were afraid of human contact during the crisis, this did not eliminate their longing for sociality, which fortunately became possible through online channels.

Recommendations for future research
We have the following questions that would be interesting to explore in future studies.Scholars may be interested in focusing on the following: Why do people still come to a store even though they have been offered an e-commerce opportunity, and what are the cross-cultural differences in customer experiences during exceptional periods?The present study has provided valuable information for retailers on how to take consumers and their needs into account during unexpected periods.Even though nobody knows what new crises -viral or otherwise -will materialize in the future, the findings of the present study will make it easier for retail companies to act if consumer uncertainty reemerges or similarly exceptional situations arise.

Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes on contributors
Dr. Saara Julkunen serves as a Professor of International Sales and the Head of the UEF Business School at the University of Eastern Finland.Her research focuses on international sales and retailing, customer-seller relationship development, inter-organizational collaboration, and entrepreneurship.She can be contacted at saara.julkunen@uef.fi for inquiries or collaborations.

Figure 1 .
Figure 1.Gender, age, employment, and retailing environment of the customer experience among respondents.
Categorization of consumers' adaptive responses in data Consumer types as main themes Affective responses − Feeling uncertainty − Having fear in the new crisis − Feeling ongoing threat and danger − Being afraid of interaction − Expecting that salespeople control the situation − Reinforced feeling of security − Preferring online shopping − Preferring a quick visit to brick-and-mortar store Suspicious consumer Cognitive responses − Open to shop in brick-and-mortar stores − Open to shop at online stores − Following safety and health recommendations − Having confidence in professional customer service Adjustable consumer Behavioral responses (positive) − Need for interaction while shopping − Appreciating personalized customer service − Open to changing shopping behavior − Appreciating the presence of customer service personnel Interaction-seeking consumer Behavioral responses (negative) − Neglecting the crisis − Annoyed by other consumers' behavior − Disappointed with sanctions and others' behavior − Underestimating the dangers related to the crisis − Not accepting the necessity to change health-related behaviors − Comparing past with present Prohibiting consumer

Figure 2 .
Figure 2. Conceptual framework of consumers' adaptive responses to ontological insecurity in the retail shopping context.
. In according to Campbell et al.'s categorization, affective responses