Finding what you seek: the role of serendipity in consumer enjoyment of the online book-buying process. A mixed-methods study

Serendipity is often associated with the fortuitous finds of scientific breakthroughs, and extant literature has focused on this phenomenon as a valuable tool for the searching scientist. Yet serendipity is also a valuable aspect of lived experience, bringing with it a sense of joy, luck and wonder. In a world that is increasingly digitalised and designed to show us what we seek, serendipity is at risk of becoming obsolete. This study looks at serendipity in the context of online book retail, to examine whether it can increase the enjoyment of the online book-buying experience. A quantitative survey was employed to explore the connection between the two variables of serendipitous experiences and enjoyment, with a Pearson correlation analysis finding a weak to moderate connection between the two. In-depth interviews unravelled this connection further, exploring the dimensions that contributed to the increase in serendipitous finds online and positively affected enjoyment. Results show that although the survey indicated a correlation between serendipity and enjoyment, this connection is not likely to be causative. Instead, the mutual dimension of browsing links the two variables; when consumers are motivated to speculatively browse online, they enjoy the process more and simultaneously discover more unexpected items. Therefore, it is proposed that if online book retailers are to increase consumer enjoyment of their sites, they should focus on tools that will increase consumers’ propensity to browse.