Consumers are increasingly using web-based systems for the search and purchase of products and services. They are, however, also still using traditional, offline channels such as telephone, high street and mail order, on a regular basis. The research presented in this thesis investigated consumer use of e-services in the context of a multi-channel environment, with a special focus on voluntary channel choice and voluntary movement between channels. Both multi-channel usage and voluntary movement between channels are currently under-researched topics. The area of research for the study was leisure travel. The travel preparations from a sample of consumers throughout the UK were investigated through interviews and diary studies. Literature from the field of Human-Computer Interaction and Consumer Research informed the methodology and the perspective for the analysis. The findings from the in-depth study show that the participants frequently used multiple channels during their travel preparations. They regularly moved between online and offline channels, and often did so on a voluntary basis. The analysis revealed that the most important driver for multi-channel usage among the participants was the need for control. This research contextualises control as a key characteristic of contemporary consumption behaviour. Its main contributions are the findings that the need for control has six dimensions (time, place, costs, risks, information and personal contact), and that the influence of these dimensions on consumer channel choice varies across specific consumption situations. The study also found that the participants were not consistent in their channel choices over time. They showed fragmented consumer behaviour, dependent on their social roles and external circumstances. The thesis discusses how control and fragmentation are key themes in the explanation of voluntary multi-channel usage and movement between channels. The insights from this research contribute to a deeper understanding of consumer use of e-services and to strategic improvements in the design and management of e-services.

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Word-of-mouth is a frequently mentioned construct in marketing research. Prior research has included numerous product categories, international settings and both consumer and business environments. Unfortunately, this understanding of word-of-mouth is largely based on positivistic, quantitative research. Previous research has generally used retrospective surveys ("Think of time when you asked for advice.... "). While this positivistic research adds to the general understanding of the transactional mechanics of word-of-mouth, it ignores information that can provide valuable insight. This is further complicated by the fact that a third of all academic WOM journal articles fail to formally define the term. Through the hermeneutic analysis of 127 actual word-of-mouth conversations found on the internet, this dissertation expands the understanding of word-of-mouth. While there is general support for previous word-of-mouth findings, there is a significant extension of understanding. This research has found evidence of the impact of anger, confusion and humour on WOM conversations -- anger, impatience, humour and sarcasm. Finally, there is evidence of WOM as more than a transaction, as a social process. This is an area of research that has not been discussed in previous WOM research. Of particular note is the fact that WOM conversations include multiple participants. These participants interact. As such, the flow of information is more complex than previously understood. WOM respondents influence other advice givers as well as the original advice giver. This influence includes current and previous interactions between the WOM participants. A dynamic model of WOM is proposed.

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This thesis investigates the process of customer-service provider relationship dissolution in the context of affinity marketing, with special focus on the mediating role of affinity groups in the process. It does so through in-depth interviews, held in four regions of England, with participants who once held affinity credit cards affiliated to a charity or a professional work- related organisation. Holistic knowledge of a relationship, from conception to ending, has become important for developing and nurturing customer-service provider relations. Yet there is dearth of studies that focuses on the dissolution of relationships. The same is true for affinity marketing, a scheme which grew in popularity because of its promise to enhance a product's appeal and provide differentiation from rival offers by linking the product with a non-profit organisation. This research is motivated by the need for better understanding of affinity marketing, an area which has become more prominent in services marketing The research developed a conceptual framework that depicts six phases a customer-service provider relationship goes through, from conception to dissolution: i) triadic relationship (the partnership which forms affinity marketing); ii) trigger; iii) mediating variables; iv) evaluation; v) dissolution by type of customer; and vi) aftermath. This thesis found that the presumed relationship customers had with their affinity groups did not necessarily have a key role in the formation of the triadic relationship. However the relationship customers had with the affinity group through the affinity card was more prominent in the triad as well as in determining how the dissolution proceeded. Hence the findings challenge the emphasis given to affinity groups in establishing and maintaining relationships under affinity scheme. The functional, symbolic or supporting features of the affinity credit cards, led to three types of customers being identified: an explorer, a communicator and a supporter. Each type relates to distinct processes of dissolution. This research provides a deeper understanding of customers' perception of affinity marketing schemes. From the insight of the process of dissolution, it suggests techniques that can help to improve the design and management of the scheme, as well as prevent future dissolution.

It is now widely acknowledged that consumers in developed markets tend not to see functionality and usability as major differentiators in the products that they buy. Recent years have seen the growth of the 'hedonic consumer'; the products that they buy are often chosen for the pleasures that they elicit. To satisfy these consumer demands, designers need to understand more about the less tangible emotional aspects of consumers. The principle aim of this programme of research was to develop a design resource that could support designers in understanding more about the pleasure needs and attitudes of individual consumers and demographic groups. The discipline of ergonomics already supports design, and other disciplines, with understanding the physical and cognitive characteristics of consumers and a growing number of ergonomists have begun to apply its scientifiC methods and human centred perspective to the emotional needs of the consumer. To develop a resource that would ultimately appeal to designers, a study was conducted to investigate their attitudes towards pleasure and design and their needs for tools developed to support them. This led to a comprehensive specification that governed the functional and aesthetic qualities of the resource and its data content. Using Jordan's Four Pleasure Framework (1997); Physio-pleasure, Socio-pleasure, Psycho-pleasure, and Ideo-pleasure, qualitative and quantitative data were collected that showed the manner in which consumers can derive pleasure from the products that they own. The qualitative data consisted of extensive Video-interviews with 100 consumers concerning three products that they own that give them pleasure. Other sets of data were also collected to give the designer more insight into an individual consumer's lifestyle. The quantitative data were the product of a UK wide survey of 682 consumers' attitudes towards product pleasure. A number of significant gender and age effects, concerning the pleasures that we seek from the products we own, were found. For example, females found greater pleasure from the social and ideological aspects of products and males tended to draw pleasure from the status and performance demonstrated. Older generations drew pleasure from sound functionality and usability, while younger generations were more willing to use challenging products and placed more emphasis on the social aspects of prodUcts. To house this data an interactive design resource, named RealPeople, was developed. The driving principle behind its development was the representation of information about real consumers that is not diluted; maintaining the empathic link between the data and the consumer from which it originated. Designers can search and review the database, absorbing information about different individual consumers and the population trends. They can search the data base by product type or consumer characteristics, view video clips of consumers talking about their favourite products and access lifestyle information. Tile functionality of the resource allows designers to save and share different search results, annotate search results with comments, and produce rudimentary presentations of their findings. This information can be used early in the design process to increase awareness of the pleasure needs of different consumer groups, invigorate concept generation, and to initiate research. It can also be used later in the design process, to verify design deCisions, evaluate prototypes against other 'pleasurable' products, and as a presentation tool. Evaluation of the RealPeople resource was extremely Positive. Designers found it highly functional and usable. They were impressed with the relevance and quality of the data that It held. Crucially, they found the novel manner In which the data was presented and the level to which they could interact with it to be appealing. The assessment with designers also unveiled a number of different avenues that future iterations of the resource could potentially take, as well as several longer term research questions that warrant investigation.

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This doctoral thesis examines the conceptions of interpersonal relationships in a major UK sporting organization's electronic community (MUSO). Focusing on one text-based bulletin board, the research explores the meanings a sample of25 heavy users (insiders) attribute to their interactions with fellow members. Adopting an interpretivist/social constructionist perspective and a virtual ethnographic research strategy this research draws from George Kelly's Personal Construct Theory and Means-End-Chain analysis to explore these meanings as expressed in attributes of interactions, consequences and personal values. The research is split into two main sections, community and sample selection, and the main study. Working with one of the UK's leading moderating organizations, construct elicitation techniques revealed the means by which a sample of electronic communities could be differentiated on the basis of relational activity. Hinde's (1979) model of describing relationships together with a number of practical and ethical considerations were used as a means of identifying a suitable electronic community for the main study. Using a three stage electronic Delphi process, Moderators with experience in managing MUSO were canvassed for their opinions on heavy users (insiders). The main study comprises two approaches. The first involves a wider community interview drawing responses from over 500 members and identifying seven key themes of electronic community use. These are; conflict within the community, debates, entertainment, friendship, interaction, sharing and support. The second involves a number of in-depth electronic interviews exploring the conceptions of meanings of interpersonal relationships amongst insiders. Using a web based construct elicitation software package (WebGridIII) over 400 constructs from 25 participants on relational activity are identified. These are then explored using laddering and pyramiding techniques over instant messenger and email, revealing central attributes, consequences and personal values associated with their use of electronic community. The study identifies over 600 ladders comprising 1800 data points which are used to create hierarchical value maps for electronic community use across the seven key themes previously identified. The thesis makes several contributions to knowledge. To theory, it demonstrates the application of the means-end chain model to interpersonal relationships in electronic environments. It identifies the core values underpinning electronic community use of heavy users and the dominant perceptual pathways connecting the attributes of community use with personal values across the seven key themes. A contribution is further made in the categorization and selection process of electronic communities on the basis of relational activity, practical and ethical considerations. To methodology, the thesis explores the process of conducting virtual ethnography and presents a first hand day by day reflexive account of its activities and experience. The thesis also demonstrates the richness and abundance of data that can be collected using electronic research methods alone. Further contributions are made in the field of ethics identifying the means of safeguarding the integrity of the research process and the safety of participants. Finally practical managerial contributions are made in identifying the role and importance of interpersonal relationships in electronic community in the perceptions of its heavy users.

The consumption of whole grain products has been linked to the prevention of Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). In general the UK population fail to consume enough whole grains based upon the American daily recommendation. Barriers to whole grain consumption have been identified as taste, texture, moisture content and price. This research examines if there are additional reasons why people fail to consume whole grains. A conceptual framework was established to identify consumer attitudes, beliefs and perceptions towards whole grains. Three areas of interest were identified for a novel multi-methodological approach focusing on whole grain and functional foods: a) Identify societal attitudes towards non-communicable diseases using a content analysis of five British newspapers reporting of CVD and T2DM. b) Identify underlying perceptions and attitudes to cereal products using a shopping list technique. d) Examine the value of different bread attributes with increasing information levels using a food auction. The results from this research show that British Newspapers potentially influence the attitudes and beliefs of their readers but fail to report CVD and T2DM adequately. The population have positive underlying beliefs and attitudes about consumers of whole grain products when compared to consumers of white bread. A detailed nutritional health claim improves participant's perception of the product and increases willingness to pay. The results from this research show that consumers are positive towards whole grain products however further consumer education is required to promote consumption. Marketers should target the positive attitudes identified within this research to better place their product. At present there is no UK recommendation about levels of whole grain consumption, a lack of official message has lead to consumer confusion about the importance of whole grains and has allowed the media to undermine consumer knowledge.

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