Methodological proposals for the study of consumer experience

Abstract

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</p><p><b>Purpose:</b> As the consumer experience literature broadens in scope—specifically, from dyads to ecosystems and from provider-centric to consumer-centric perspective—traditional data collection methods are no longer adequate. In that context, the paper discusses three little-used data collection methods that can contribute to this broader view of consumer experience.</p><p>

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</p><b>Design/methodology/approach:</b> The article identifies methodological requirements for exploring the broadened view of consumer experience and reviews data collection methods currently in use.<p></p><p>

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</p><b>Findings:</b> The paper elaborates tailored guidelines for the study of consumer experience through first-hand, systemic and processual perspectives for three promising and currently underused data collection methods: phenomenological interviews, event-based approaches and diary methods. <p></p><p>

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</p><b>Research limitations/implications:</b> Although the list of identified methods is not exhaustive, the methods and guidelines discussed here can be used to advance empirical investigation of consumer experience as more broadly understood.<p></p><p><br /></p><p>

</p><p><b>Practical implications:</b> Practitioners can apply these methods to gain a more complete view of consumers’ experiences and so offer value propositions compatible with those consumers’ lifeworlds. </p><p>

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<b>Originality/value:</b> The paper principally contributes to the literature in two ways: by defining the methodological requirements for investigating consumer experience from consumer-centric, systemic and processual perspectives, and by specifying a set of data collection methods that meet these requirements, along with tailored guidelines for their use.<br /><p></p>