The term ‘consumption experience’ has become ubiquitous in marketing and consumer research circles. In this thesis I question the appropriateness of this canonical term. In its stead I employ the non-dualistic term ‘experiaction’, coined by an ecological psychologist, which points to the functional inseparability of experiencing and actions. I adopt a field-theoretical, phenomenologically-informed, perspective, whilst participating in, analysing, and writing about ten video-recorded research conversations. Likewise I address the various spin-off texts deriving from the initial conversations, such as transcripts and viewing-logs. I show that ‘field’-embedded individuals notice and act on many aspects of their immediate micro-environments, including their own intra-personal goings-on and expressive outputs. Through data analysis I identify five categories of regulable variables that an individual can act on as s/he seeks to regulate his/her sensing, relative to his/her reference value(s). Seen through this cybernetic lens, momentary human being comprises of a cyclical, ongoing process of self-regulation, in which individuals expediently employ and/or modify accessible resources and goings-on, in the service of seeking to actualise their currently-preferred, or expected, states-of-being, and to minimise unwelcome deviations therefrom. This thesis challenges the prevalent notion that when people consume particular products/services these offerings sponsor offering-dedicated experiences - what some people describe as ‘consumption experiences’. The concept of experiaction, in contrast, comprises of an ongoing interaction between a person and his/her micro-environment, in which the individual attends to, and acts on, whichever aspect(s) of his/her 360°-‘inner’-‘outer’-‘field’ become(s) momentarily salient to him/her, within the parameters imposed by his/her currently-sustained reference value(s).

The term ‘consumption experience’ has become ubiquitous in marketing and consumer research circles. In this thesis I question the appropriateness of this canonical term. In its stead I employ the non-dualistic term ‘experiaction’, coined by an ecological psychologist, which points to the functional inseparability of experiencing and actions. I adopt a field-theoretical, phenomenologically-informed, perspective, whilst participating in, analysing, and writing about ten video-recorded research conversations. Likewise I address the various spin-off texts deriving from the initial conversations, such as transcripts and viewing-logs. I show that ‘field’-embedded individuals notice and act on many aspects of their immediate micro-environments, including their own intra-personal goings-on and expressive outputs. Through data analysis I identify five categories of regulable variables that an individual can act on as s/he seeks to regulate his/her sensing, relative to his/her reference value(s). Seen through this cybernetic lens, momentary human being comprises of a cyclical, ongoing process of self-regulation, in which individuals expediently employ and/or modify accessible resources and goings-on, in the service of seeking to actualise their currently-preferred, or expected, states-of-being, and to minimise unwelcome deviations therefrom. This thesis challenges the prevalent notion that when people consume particular products/services these offerings sponsor offering-dedicated experiences - what some people describe as ‘consumption experiences’. The concept of experiaction, in contrast, comprises of an ongoing interaction between a person and his/her micro-environment, in which the individual attends to, and acts on, whichever aspect(s) of his/her 360°-‘inner’-‘outer’-‘field’ become(s) momentarily salient to him/her, within the parameters imposed by his/her currently-sustained reference value(s).

Cette thèse traite de la structuration issue des activités de consommation ordinaires (Gronow et Warde, 2001 ; Carù et Cova, 2003, 2007). La structuration renvoie au "procès des relations sociales qui se structurent dans le temps et dans l'espace via la dualité du structurel", c'est-à-dire que les individus et les collectifs (qui s’interpénètrent dans des systèmes sociaux) se co-construisent dans des structures. Dans cette perspective, « les systèmes sociaux sont à la fois des conditions et des résultats des activités accomplies par les agents qui font partie de ces systèmes" (Giddens, 1987). Nous proposons une étude de cas reposant sur l’intérêt d’adopter deux perspectives théoriques pour éclairer de façon inédite la structuration issue de la consommation. Notre cas est basé sur l’examen de récits de vie relatifs aux trajectoires des consommateurs sur les forums de discussion en ligne, et en particulier les forums de la communauté Jeuxvideo.com. Alors que dans la première étude, la structuration est éclairée par un examen de la construction du sens dans les expériences de consommation ordinaires qualifiées d’interactionnelles ; dans la seconde étude nous proposons un approfondissement de la connaissance relative aux mécanismes de la construction du soi appréhendée dans sa complexité. Cette thèse entend contribuer tout autant à développer une nouvelle approche de la consommation qu’à approfondir la connaissance de la structuration. / This thesis deals with structuration in ordinary consumption activities (Gronow and Warde, 2001 ; Carù and Cova, 2003, 2007). Structuration is about the process of social relationships that structure in time and space through the duality of the structural. This means that individuals and collectives that interrelate in social systems, are co-created in structures. In this framework, social systems are both conditions and results of activities performed by agents who belong to these systems (Giddens, 1987). We propose a case study that builds on two different theoretical perspectives to investigate structuration in ordinary consumption. Our case is mostly built on consumers’ narratives about their trajectories in online discussion forums, and especially one of them called Jeuxvideo.com. In the first study, structuration is enlightened by revealing sensemaking processes in ordinary consumption experiences. In the second study, we focus on the mechanisms leading to the construction of the self considered in its complexity. This thesis intends to contribute both to a development of a new approach of consumption and to a better knowledge about structuration.

Syfte: Syftet med studien är att undersöka om prisreducering, julhandel, känslor och erfarenheter på den svenska online-marknaden följer tidigare påvisat konsumtionsmönster i fysiska butiker kring Black Friday. Metod: Tvärsnittsstudien har utförts bestående av en enkätundersökning för att identifiera mönster och samband för Generation Z:s konsumentbeteende under Black Friday i förhållande till de fyra faktorerna. Totalt deltog 119 st studenter från Högskolan i Borås i enkätundersökningen från ett bekvämlighetsurval. Resultat: Studien visar på ett etablerat samband mellan vikten av prisreduceringar och julklappshandel. Vidare visade resultatet på en positiv relation mellan associationen av positiva känslor och tidigare positiva erfarenheter där stockout, tidseffektivitet och spontanshopping hade en större påverkan. Slutligen gick det även att observera en positiv relation mellan associationen av negativa känslor och tidigare negativa erfarenheter. Dock kunde ett undantag identifieras då tidseffektivitet visade på ett negativt samband där erfarenheten inte ökar associationen av negativa känslor. Originalitet/Värde: Då utformningen av marknadsföringen är vital för att generera en ökad försäljning blir det också viktigare att förstå vad som driver konsumenten till köp. Tidigare studier undersöker primärt den fysiska marknaden men då internet utgör en stor del av vardagen för Generation Z blir online shopping mer och mer relevant. Online-handeln i Sverige fortsätter att växa kontinuerligt och konkurrensen ökar avsevärt varje år. Studien har därför bidragit med en ökad förståelse för hur exempelvis företag, marknadsförare och e-handelsbutiker ska kunna anpassa marknadsföringen under Black Friday och liknande prispromotionshögtider för att möta konsumentens behov. / Purpose: The aim of the study is to investigate whether price reduction, Christmas shopping, emotions and experiences in the Swedish online market follow previously demonstrated consumption patterns in brick and mortar stores around Black Friday. Methodology: The cross-sectional study was conducted consisting of a survey study to identify patterns and relationships for Generation Z's consumer behavior during Black Friday in relation to the four factors. A total of 119 students from the University of Borås participated in the survey from a convenience sample. Findings: The study shows an established connection between the importance of price promotions and Christmas gift shopping. Furthermore, the results showed a positive relationship between the association of positive feelings and previous positive experiences where stockout, time efficiency and spontaneous shopping had a greater impact. Finally, a positive relationship between the association of negative feelings and previous negative experiences was established. However, an exception could be identified due to time efficiency showing a negative relationship where the experience does not increase the association of negative feelings. Originality / Value: As the design of marketing is vital for generating increased sales, it also becomes more important to understand what drives the consumer to make a purchase. Previous studies primarily examine the physical market, but as the internet forms a large part of everyday life for Generation Z, online shopping is becoming more and more relevant. Online commerce in Sweden grows continuously and competition increases significantly every year. The study has therefore contributed to an increased understanding of how for example companies, marketers and e-commerce stores can adapt marketing during Black Friday and similar price promotion holidays to meet consumer needs.This thesis is written in Swedish.

[pt] A experiência fundamental da sociedade moderna é a de uma intensa aceleração do fluxo de experiência de cada indivíduo (ROSA, 2019a). Os reflexos deste fenômeno são observados em larga escala, coexistindo com um discurso cultural que relaciona a velocidade a limitações sociais, ambientais e individuais. Frente a isso, nota-se o surgimento de movimentos contestatórios à lógica temporal moderna, utilizados como válvulas de escape em relação à aceleração (BAUER et al, 2015; HUSEMANN e ECKHARDT, 2019; LEVINE, 2015; ROSA, 2019a), dentre os quais o Slow Movement (HONORE, 2019; PARKINS, 2004). Neste contexto, este estudo propõe compreender o processo de desaceleração do consumidor no ambiente estrutural contemporâneo, por meio do consumo sob o rótulo Slow. Como a noção de temporalidade está relacionada ao desdobramento de significados que emergem das práticas de vida, utiliza-se a Sociossemiótica (LANDOWSKI, 2014a) como aporte teórico-metodológico para entender a criação de sentido e os significados da desaceleração em torno do consumo Slow. Com base em entrevistas em profundidade com consumidores do Movimento Slow, foi possível concluir que este tipo de consumo pode equivaler a uma experiência extraordinária de lentificação, revelando-se como oásis de desaceleração (ROSA, 2019a) em meio ao contexto contemporâneo acelerado. Este extraordinário possui a estesia como elemento central, emergindo a partir da busca dos consumidores por sentido no que e em como consomem, da combinação de elementos estruturais e antiestruturais e do emprego de estratégias de desaceleração específicas. / [en] A critical experience of modern society involves an intense acceleration of experience flux of each individual (ROSA, 2019a). The consequences of this phenomenon are observed in a large scale, coexisting with a cultural discourse that relates speed to social, environmental and individual limitations. In view of this, movements have emerged contesting the modern temporal logic, used as escape valves from acceleration (BAUER et al., 2015; HUSEMANN and ECKHARDT, 2019; LEVINE, 2015; ROSA, 2019a), including the Slow Movement (HONORE, 2019; PARKINS, 2004). This study seeks to understand the process of consumer deceleration in the contemporary structural environment, assessing Slow Movement consumption. As the notion of temporality is related to the development of meanings that emerge from life practices, Sociosemiotics (LANDOWSKI, 2014a) is used as a theoretical-methodological approach to understand the creation of sense and meanings from deceleration via slow consumption. Based on in-depth interviews conducted with Slow Movement consumers it was possible to conclude that such type of consumption can ensure an extraordinary experience of deceleration, acting as an oasis of deceleration (ROSA, 2019a) in the fast-paced contemporary context. This extraordinary experience has esthesia as its central element, emerging from the search of consumers for meaning in what and how they consume, the combination of structural and anti-structural elements, and the use of specific deceleration strategies.