The virtual shopping basket versus the shopping trolley : an exploratory investigation of consumers' experience

Abstract

The aim of the study was to describe the thoughts and emotions of consumers with regard to both online shopping and traditional shopping. A homogenous sample of ten female respondents participated in this qualitative study and their experiences were examined by means of the Zaltman Metaphoric Elicitation Technique (ZMET). It was found that the traditional shoppers organise their thoughts and emotions around two metaphors, namely that of 'shopping as play' and 'shopping as work'. The online shoppers indicated that shopping could be regarded as a convenience and as an unfathomable concept. In addition to the four main themes, two supporting dimensions emerged; namely shopping for ‘nice to haves’ and shopping for ‘must haves’. A conceptual understanding based on the themes and dimensions was formed. This framework proved useful in comparing the emotions and cognitive thought processes of one shopping environment with that of the other. Interaction, similarities and differences of experiences were indicated within the two environments. AFRIKAANS: Die doel van hierdie studie was om verbruikers se gedagtes en gevoelens oor sowel die aanlyn- as die tradisionele inkopie-omgewing te beskryf. ’n Homogene steekproef van tien vroulike respondente het aan hierdie kwalitatiewe studie deelgeneem, en hulle ervarings is by wyse van die Zaltman Metaphoric Elicitation Technique (ZMET) ondersoek. Daar is bevind dat diegene wat op die tradisionele manier inkopies doen, hulle gedagtes en gevoelens om twee metafore organiseer, naamlik “inkopies doen as ’n vorm van ontspanning” en “inkopies doen as ’n vorm van werk”. Diegene wat aanlyn inkopies doen, het aangedui dat dié manier van inkopies doen beskou word as “’n gerief” én as “’n moeilik deurgrondbare konsep”. Naas hierdie vier temas het daar twee ondersteunende dimensies na vore gekom, naamlik inkopies doen vir dinge wat “noodsaaklik is om te hê” en inkopies doen vir dinge wat “lekker is om te hê”. ’n Konseptuele raamwerk wat op hierdie temas en dimensies gebaseer is, is opgestel. Hierdie raamwerk was nuttig om die gevoelens en ervarings wat deur die een inkopie-omgewing opgeroep is, te vergelyk met dié wat deur die ander inkopie-omgewing opgeroep is; asook om die wisselwerking, ooreenkomste en verskille met betrekking tot ervarings binne die twee omgewings aan te dui.