Customer Experience: Heterogeneity Insights From Meta-Analytic Synthesis

Overlooking heterogeneity (variability) in customer experience (CX) can lead to incomplete theoretical insights and suboptimal managerial decisions. To address this issue, this article reviews the causes of heterogeneity in extant meta-analyses of CX research (n: 91). Guided by Becker and Jaakkola's (2020) classification of CX research, the present review illuminates the moderators (conceptual, contextual, methodological, practical, and temporal) that explain heterogeneity across four clusters of CX research. The “stimuli that affect experiences” cluster displays variation shaped by multiple touchpoints and emerging technologies such as augmented reality and chatbots. The “responses to stimuli” cluster demonstrates that customers' cognitive, emotional, and behavioral experiential responses vary due to cultural and methodological differences. The “evaluative outcomes” cluster highlights satisfaction and loyalty as central outcomes shaped by conceptual and contextual drivers. The “customer contingencies” cluster reveals the moderating influence of cultural dimensions, personal traits, and sustainability considerations. These findings advance the theoretical understanding of variation in CX and create opportunities for refined managerial practice and subsequent research inquiry.