How innovative training increases retail job appeal and interest

Purpose – Retailers are increasingly adopting immersive and gamified training methods as part of broader digital transformation efforts. Yet little is known about whether such innovations influence how job seekers perceive retail work. This study aims to address that gap by testing whether describing retail training as innovative (vs traditional) makes retail jobs seem more engaging. It also examines whether perceived engagement relates to interest in retail employment and whether this relationship depends on a person’s promotion focus. Design/methodology/approach – A randomized online experiment (N = 600) assigned job seekers to read about either traditional or innovative retail training methods. Measures included perceived engagement, promotion focus and a behavioural indicator of job interest. Data were analysed using ordinary least squares regression, logistic regression and moderated mediation analysis. Findings – Job seekers exposed to innovative training descriptions perceived retail work as more engaging. Perceived engagement significantly increased the likelihood of clicking to explore retail job opportunities. Moderated mediation confirmed that the indirect effect of training innovativeness on job interest via engagement was stronger among those higher in promotion focus. Practical implications – Retailers can enhance the appeal of retail jobs by highlighting innovative training methods—such as virtual, gamified or artificial intelligence (AI)-based platforms – in recruitment communications. These signals increase perceived engagement, which in turn boosts job interest, especially among growth-oriented candidates. This low-cost strategy may help retailers attract a broader, more motivated applicant pool. Originality/value – This study is the first to show that innovative retail training acts as an external signal that shapes job perceptions.