About the Journal

Summary

The International Journal of Retail and Consumer Research (IJRCR, ISSN: 3054-1158) is an academic forum dedicated to the dissemination of current research findings within the context of modern retailing and consumer-oriented research. The IJRCR bridges the gap between scientific inquiry and practical relevance, serving both researchers and practitioners alike. The journal publishes work at the intersection of contemporary retail and consumer behavior.

Aims & Scope

IJRCR covers a broad range of topics essential to today’s retail management and consumer insights. We welcome original research, conceptual frameworks, and practice-based contributions that advance both academic discourse and professional strategy.

Key areas of interest include:

  • Retail Strategy & Business Models: Innovation in brick-and-mortar environments, D2C (Direct-to-Consumer) evolution, and hybrid commerce frameworks.
  • Omni-Channel & Multi-Channel Synergy: Strategies for seamless channel integration, cross-channel customer journeys, and the optimization of touchpoint ecosystems.
  • Consumer Insights & Shopping Psychology: Cognitive and emotional drivers of purchase intent, brand loyalty, and decision-making processes in diverse retail contexts.
  • Advanced Retail Market Research: Methodological advancements in tracking consumer behavior, POS-analytics, neuro-marketing, and the use of Big Data for market forecasting.
  • Digital Transformation & Retail Tech: The impact of AI, augmented reality (AR), and automated checkout systems on the shopping experience and operational efficiency.
  • Experience Design & Sensory Marketing: Managing store atmospherics, sensory influences, and service quality in both physical and virtual environments.
  • The Social & Connected Consumer: Social commerce, influencer-driven purchasing patterns, and the role of digital communities in modern retail.
  • Sustainable & Ethical Commerce: Circular economy models, green retailing strategies, and the rise of conscious consumption.
  • Supply Chain & Last-Mile Dynamics: Logistics optimization, returns management, and the resilience of retail distribution networks.
  • Global Trends & Case Studies: Empirical analysis of emerging market developments and high-impact industry transformations.

All articles in IJARBM are

  • rigorously, timely and construcively peer-reviewed
  • freely available Open Access (CC BY 4.0 license)
  • indexed in Crossref
  • assigned with a DOI

Indexing

The journal is indexed in established international databases and catalogues, including Crossref. It is further registered in the ISSN Portal and listed by the German National Library. Each published article receives a DOI.

Hier ist die umformulierte Version für das IJRCR, die Struktur und Bedeutung beibehält, aber eine neue Wortwahl nutzt:

Submission and Publication

Manuscripts should be submitted through the Wohllebe & Ross digital submission system. Upon acceptance, papers are professionally edited and typeset to ensure they adhere to premium scholarly standards. To facilitate editorial coordination, high-quality production, and web hosting, Article Processing Charges (APCs) may be levied. (Currently, submission and publication in IJRCR is free: no article processing charges apply; all costs are covered by Wohllebe & Ross.) Once finalized, articles are swiftly integrated into the current issue and receive a DOI, guaranteeing instant global visibility and reach.

Peer Review

IJRCR employs a double-blind peer review system. Both author and reviewer identities are kept strictly confidential during the entire evaluation process. Our editorial staff handles the anonymization of manuscripts prior to review; authors are not mandated to de-identify their own files.

While authors may propose suitable reviewers during submission, these recommendations are non-binding. Reviewers are chosen based on their specific expertise in the manuscript's subject matter and must be free of any conflicts of interest. We expect reviewers to assess originality, academic rigor, and clarity while offering objective, helpful feedback. Attempting to uncover the author's identity is strictly prohibited.

Typically, submissions are evaluated by at least two autonomous experts. Final editorial determinations rest on these reports and the journal's internal quality benchmarks.

All parties—authors, editors, and reviewers—must declare potential conflicts of interest. To maintain neutrality, submissions from Editorial Board members are managed by an uninvolved board colleague. Beyond this measure, such submissions follow the standard review protocol.

Authors bear full responsibility for the validity and ethical compliance of their data and claims. If research involves human or animal participants, proof of ethical clearance must be provided. Editorial decisions can be contested via a formal appeal, which is then reviewed by an independent editor. All procedural or ethical grievances are addressed according to established scholarly publishing norms.

Open Access, Copyright, Licensing

IJRCR is a dedicated Open Access journal. All content is accessible in PDF format immediately upon release, at no cost and without paywalls. Within the legal framework of the license, users are free to download, distribute, and utilize the material.

Authors keep their full copyright and all publishing rights without limitation. By submitting, the lead author verifies the work’s originality and the consent of all co-authors. It is the author's duty to secure permissions for any third-party content (images, data, etc.) included in the paper.

Publications are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). This allows for sharing and adaptation, provided the original work is properly cited and modifications are noted. No further legal or technological restrictions may be applied to the work.

Plagiarism Screening

To uphold the highest academic integrity, every manuscript submitted to IJRCR undergoes rigorous screening via professional plagiarism detection tools. Evidence of plagiarism results in an automatic rejection. In severe cases of misconduct, the journal reserves the right to issue a public notice and bar the authors from future submissions. This strict policy protects the value of original research and maintains the trust of our readership.

Publication Frequency

IJRCR operates a continuous publication model, releasing one issue per volume annually. Articles are published online as soon as they have been accepted for publication, ensuring the rapid and constant availability of new insights in the field of retail and consumer research.