Special Session Summary the Impact of the Net: Strategies For Consumer Behavior Research Design in the 21St Century

Citation:

Carolyn Folkman Curasi, Margaret K. Hogg, and Pauline Maclaran (2001) ,"Special Session Summary the Impact of the Net: Strategies For Consumer Behavior Research Design in the 21St Century", in NA - Advances in Consumer Research Volume 28, eds. Mary C. Gilly and Joan Meyers-Levy, Valdosta, GA : Association for Consumer Research, Pages: 205.

Advances in Consumer Research Volume 28, 2001     Page 205

SPECIAL SESSION SUMMARY

THE IMPACT OF THE NET: STRATEGIES FOR CONSUMER BEHAVIOR RESEARCH DESIGN IN THE 21^ST CENTURY

Carolyn Folkman Curasi, Berry College

Margaret K. Hogg, UMIST.

Pauline Maclaran, De Montfort University

 

"A CRITICAL EXPLORATION OF INTERNET AND IN-PERSON DEPTH INTERVIEWS~CUSTOMER LOYALTY AND THE INTERNET: BENEFITS THAT DRIVE LOYALTY ON THE INTERNET"

Carolyn Folkman Curasi

This paper compared two different interpretive data collection techniques: semi-structured depth interviews conducted over the Internet with semi-structured, depth interviews conducted in person. After a literature review of research on electronic data collection, the advantages and disadvantages of on-line data collection were examined. Major points were illustrated from a project on Internet shopping loyalty in which data was collected using both techniques. Strategies for successfully collecting on-line data were discussed, as well as its potential for combining different data collection sites for the purposes of triangulation and achieving greater levels of trustworthiness in interpretive research designs.

 

"CONSUMING RESISTANCE AND RESISTING CONSUMERS ON THE WEB"

Pauline Maclaran and Miriam Catterall

We examined methodological issues linked to consumer resistance at two levels. Firstly, we took a netnographic approach to explore Internet communities that use their dislike or boycott of a particular brand as the basis for their interaction (e.g. Anti-Amway and Boycott Best Buy Webrings). Secondly, we considered consumer resistance to the research process itself within the context of the Internet. The web’s interconnectedness meant that resistance to marketing research was no longer necessarily experienced at a fragmented and individual level (where consumers have problems expressing their voice), but was often, on the Internet, experienced within a community environment where consumers found it easier to express their resistance.

 

"IDENTITY, RITUALS AND ROLE TRANSITIONS: EXAMINING EMPTY-NESTERS AS 'LIMINAL CONSUMER’"

Margaret K. Hogg, Carolyn Folkman Curasi and Pauline Maclaran

In this study we identified and examined the informal rituals which consumers used to negotiate their role transition to an empty nest. We collected data in two stages, adopting a 'mixed method’ approach. Firstly we used in-depth interviews in 'real life settings’ to explore how women experienced consumption rituals and 'communitas’ in their life journeys from a full to empty nest. Secondly, we used two e-based methods (netnography and email interviews) in cyber space to explore how women discussed their experiences of consumption rituals and virtual communities in this role transition. The data was analysed to identify themes associated with (re)-negotiating identity in periods of role transition.

 

"CONSUMER BEHAVIOR RESEARCH IN REAL AND VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS"

Margaret K. Hogg

The goals of this session were, firstly, to illustrate and examine different strategies for using the web in consumer behavior research design; and secondly, to evaluate and conceptualise how R-Life (Real Life) [Real Life (RL) has been distinguished from computer-based virtual lives (Turkle 1995), cited in Kozinets 1998:336).] and e-based research methods might be used, combined and applied in designing interpretive studies of consumer behavior. Three studies were used to present different perspectives on the impact of the net in consumer behavior research. The authors illustrated how different mixed method approaches were adopted to explore consumer behaviour in real and virtual research settings. A conceptual framework was developed for evaluating strategies for mixed method approaches to consumer behavior research design in actual and cyberspace.

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