Striking the balance: the impact of producer–consumer interaction on customer conversion in community fresh food enterprises

Purpose The purpose is to explore the role of production–consumption interaction in enhancing customer conversion, focusing on the impact of different interactive participation types and forms during the sales process. Design/methodology/approach The study utilizes a sample of consumers from the Shenyang XJH Fresh Food Supermarket chain, constructing a framework linking production–consumption interaction to customer conversion. A total of 549 observation samples were collected through field experiments to analyze the effects of various types and levels of interactive participation across different contexts. Findings Connotation-type interactions are more effective than extension-type interactions in enhancing customer in-store conversion. Additionally, a nonlinear relationship between the level of interactive participation and both out-of-store and in-store purchase conversion was observed, with intertwined positive and negative effects. Originality/value This study reveals the nonlinear impact mechanism of the interaction between producers and consumers on customer conversion in community-based fresh food enterprises through field experiments. It innovatively proposes the optimal equilibrium point between the form and intensity of interaction, providing empirical evidence for precision marketing in fresh food retail enterprises.