## 3 Methodology  
### Data Collection  
To test the above hypotheses, this study takes the example of a prominent convenience store chain in Taiwan, 7-Eleven (headquartered in Xinyi District, Taipei City, Taiwan). This industry leader has pioneered a multifaceted service delivery approach encompassing physical, digital, and mobile platforms. They have implemented a multidimensional service system, starting with in-store kiosks (e.g., ibon) for convenient shopping, followed by an online marketplace. Recognizing the growing importance of mobile technology, the company launched its mobile app for smartphone use in 2014, as shown in Figure 2. The app was designed to enhance customer convenience and reduce transaction times, in line with the consumer demand for efficient on-the-go services. By combining online and offline services, retail companies can encourage offline customers to become online users. Users can confirm various services (such as ticket purchasing, payment, printing, and scanning services) using their mobile devices and then visit a nearby store to complete the transaction. Additionally, online membership registration facilitates the monitoring of customers' transaction profiles and the timely communication of promotional offers to consumers, ultimately saving operational costs [57]. This strategy demonstrates how companies can leverage multiple channels to create a comprehensive service ecosystem, potentially improving customer engagement and operational efficiency [11]. The researchers of this paper administered the survey during scheduled class sessions, having obtained prior authorization from both students and faculty members. Research has shown that young people make up the majority of heavy users of mobile applications and other technologies [34], so this study considers student use to be appropriate. Prior to participation, each respondent provided informed consent. The questionnaire commenced with an overview of the research objectives and explicitly emphasized participant anonymity, stating that personal identifiers such as names and institutional affiliations were not required. The initial survey item presented the following query: Are you willing to provide informed consent and participate in this survey? Once participants agreed to take the survey, they could move on to the next questions. The paper-based survey took approximately 20 min to complete, and participants were thanked upon completion. Figure 2: The image of the in-store kiosk, ibon, located in the convenience store (screenshot taken from the official website: [[https://www.ibon.com.tw/FLA/index.html](https://www.ibon.com.tw/FLA/index.html)]([https://www.ibon.com.tw/FLA/index.html](https://www.ibon.com.tw/FLA/index.html)) accessed on 3 January 2025), along with its mobile app. This study used a paper-based questionnaire to collect empirical data from actual ibon kiosk users in Taiwan. The choice of Taiwan as a research setting is particularly relevant due to its exceptionally high density of convenience stores, which provides a valuable context for studying the use of self-service technology. The questionnaire was developed by adapting and modifying previously validated scales [11; 14; 55; 56; 58; 59; 60; 61; 62; 63] to ensure reliability and validity. To identify participants who were familiar with the ibon kiosks but not the mobile app, the survey asked if they had used an ibon kiosk at 7-Eleven and if they had downloaded the app. The design of this question was to identify participants who had experience with the physical kiosks but were new to its mobile app. The two screening questions helped identify participants who had experience with the physical ibon kiosks but had not yet engaged with the mobile app version. The study collected 380 questionnaires, of which 360 were fully completed for analysis. This resulted in a high response rate of 94.7%, indicating strong participant engagement. Regarding the sample distribution in this study, male and female participants were 55.8% and 44.2%, respectively.