Abstract                                                    This thesis provides an in-depth research of five VR suppliers working with creating VR experiences targeted to elderly within the elder care sector in Sweden. Furthermore, a technological knowledge gap between elderly and VR technology are researched. The focus of this thesis is therefore how VR suppliers, as early adopters, design VR experiences to elderly, as digital immigrants. To investigate the chosen topics, two research questions was formulated; RQ1. How do VR suppliers design a VR experience targeted to digital immigrants within the elderly care sector? RQ2. How do VR suppliers, as early adopters, bridge the digital gap between VR-technology and digital immigrants?  This thesis constitutes of a qualitative research where the empirical findings are based on interviews with the VR suppliers. The research took an inductive approach in order to get close to the respondents and interpret their realities. Theories about Customer experience, Value, Value Co-creation, Digital immigrants and Early and Late adopters, have thereafter helped to connect the empirical findings with aspects within these theories, to further understand important aspects for the VR suppliers when they design their VR experiences.  The results of the study present the aspects that are important to take under consideration when VR suppliers design their VR experiences towards elderly within the elder care sector. A model showing the steps when designing the VR experience has been provided and constitutes of identifying needs, customize the service, create trust and security, set the environment, inform and educate personnel, handling impairments and bridging the gap. Furthermore, the participants confirmed a knowledge gap within technology amongst elderly and that there is a need to bridge the gap in order for the VR service to be successfully implemented.

Staging experiences and providing optimal customer experience has become the new battlefield within the marketing segment, since the introduction of experience economy. The modern customer has multiple devices, channels and touchpoints to interact with the organization and with rapidly changing digital technology, where the product or service information are available online 24/7, he/ she is in-charge of his/ her own experiences. This multitude of options pose great challenges for the organization to understand customer needs, expectations, and behavior, and predict and manage customer experience. Despite numerous studies and streams of literature, several authors, scholars, and practitioners have developed fragmented frameworks and models that partially addresses this multidimensional construct of customer experience. Furthermore, things get complicated when these fragmented constructs are used by the luxury travel industry to design, develop, and manage customer experience. Therefore, in order to address this broad concept and provide the organization with a holistic framework that can be leveraged for providing customer experience, we conducted a qualitative multi-case study, that included 14 semi-structured interviews from various actors within the supply- chain of the luxury travel industry. Using thematic analysis, the rich empirical data from the interviews were analyzed and transformed into sub-themes and themes. Keeping these themes as the foundation, we propose an integrated conceptual model that captures a firm integrating customer and co-creation perspectives to provide customer experience. This integrated model consists of five building blocks, Organizational Factors, Design, Delivery and Management of customer experience, Co-Creation, Customer Experience Insights / Metrics and Moderating Factors, that coupled together should influence customer experience. Using this conceptual model, we analyzed how different actors within the supply-chain provide customer experience. Subsequently, we also develop a customer journey map (from a customer perspective) consisting of customer needs, channels, and touchpoints to understand the critical touchpoint that act as the primary contributors for providing customer experience. And finally, we highlight the driving factors and barriers for providing customer experience within luxury travel industry.

Today, brick-and-mortar retailers are facing changes, as we are moving away from a service economy towards an experience economy. These changes reshape customers´ preferences. Reatilers have shown an inability to adapt to these changes, indicating that there is a need for further insights on the subject. To address this lack of knowledge, this thesis aimed at investigating the customer experience in brick-and-mortar fashion retailers in order to obtain knowledge about how experiential offerings create perceived value and customer satisfaction, which ultimately leads to store attractiveness.  This study focused on investigating the customer experience holistically, by using the "Experience Economy 4E construct" together with three dimensions of perceived experiential value as a theoretical framework. The application of this holistic approach to the customer experience has until now been relatively unexplored, which justify the purpose of this thesis.  This qualitative study was conducted by using six semi-structured interviews. Furthermore, the emprical data collection was analysed using a thematic analysis. This generated valuable insights to which aspects were considered to create positive as well as negative feelings, which consequently affect customer satisfaction and store attractiveness.  The result showed that experiential offerings from brick-and-mortar fashion retailers create perceived experiential value, which in turn leads to customer satisfaction and store attractiveness. Furthermore, the result indicated that educational experiences, esthetic experiences and social interactions are the primary value-creating sources.

Emotion AI är ett forskningsområde som syftar till att teknik ska kunna känna igen och reagera på mänskliga känslotillstånd, vilket kan implementeras i form av chattbotar. Chattbotens roll är idag framträdande inom kundtjänstområdet och används för att stärka kundservice. Tidigare forskning visar att det råder brist av kvalitativa studier om hur chattbotar responderar på och hanterar känslor som uppstår när människor interagerar med chattbotar i vardagen. Syftet med studien är därav att skapa förståelse för hur känslor hanteras av chattbotar och vilka upplevelser som genereras vid kundtjänstinteraktion mellan människa och chattbot.  Studien antog en kvalitativ ansats och inleddes genom en förstudie som identifierade fyra chattbotar, vilka användes vidare till intervjustudien. Datainsamlingen har genomförts med hjälp av semistrukturerade intervjuer och kompletterades med observation. Analysen identifierade fyra typer av upplevelser av chattbotarnas förmåga att respondera på känslointeraktion: bekräftelse, missförstånd, problemlösning och ideal chattbot. Studien diskuterar hur chattbotar påverkar människans känsloupplevelse och hur chattbotar bör designas i kundtjänstinteraktion. Slutsatsen är att det inte finns behov att utveckla chattbotar med väldigt komplex känsloförmåga och känslomässig förståelse har visats vara sekundärt i kundtjänstinteraktion. Dock bör chattbotar designas med en enklare form av känslomässig förmåga eftersom det kan skapa mervärde genom att kunderna känner sig förstådda. / Emotion AI is a research area aimed at technology recognizing and reacting to human emotions, which can be implemented in the form of chatbots. The chatbot's role is today prominent in the field of customer service and is used to strengthen customer service. Previous research shows that there is a lack of qualitative studies on how chatbots respond to and manage emotions that arise when people interact with chatbots in their everyday life. The purpose of the study is therefore to create an understanding of how emotions are handled by chatbots and what experiences are generated during customer service interaction between humans and chatbots.  The study adopted a qualitative approach and was initiated through a feasibility study that identified four chatbots, which were used for the interview study. The data collection was carried out using semi-structured interviews and supplemented by observation. The analysis identified four types of experiences of chatbots' ability to respond to emotional interaction: affirmation, misunderstanding, problem-solving, and ideal chatbot. The study discusses how chatbots affect the human emotional experience and how chatbots should be designed for customer service interaction. The bottom line is that there is no need to develop chatbots with very complex emotional abilities and emotional understanding has been shown to be secondary in the customer service interaction. However, chatbots should be designed with a simpler form of emotional ability as it can create added value in the form of making customers feel understood.

Purpose: The purpose of the paper is to find solutions to increase the purchase intention of HIP’s and encourage Generation Z to influence todays’ customers to buy online as well as to purchase in future online when they become relevant customers in the new-car market, and to enable car manufacturers to use the potential of increased margins and sales, of online shopping in the car industry. Design/Methodology/Approach: The structure was followed by a deductive approach. Moreover, a quantitative approach was applied in the form of a questionnaire based on 5 hypotheses with 200 valid responses. The programs for the analysis are AMOS-SEM. Findings: Evidence has shown a positive relationship between variables in the hypotheses.The attitude and subjective norms, affected by behavioral beliefs and normative beliefs, of Generation Z affected the purchase intention of Generation Z, towards online purchase of HIP’s, positively and enabled them to act as influencers. Research Contributions/Limitations: The contribution highlights that, Generation Z as influencers of today and the future customer, could change consumer behavior towards online purchase of HIP’s, which help car manufacturers improve their online sales and grow their business. The research is limited to 200 people that are representative for Generation Z. Practical Implications: The results contribute important insights of selling HIP's online to Generation Z. Furthermore, the implications are developed to decrease the perceived risk of buying cars online. Value: The study about Generation Z, as influencers of today and future customers for online purchase of HIP's and specifically cars, indicated that there is a lack of scientific studies on this specific field. Therefore, the value of the study is based on new findings to help car manufacturers create a better experience for customers and increase their online sales on the new-car market. Keywords: E-commerce, Customer Experience In Online Shopping, Generation Z, Consumer Behavior Toward Online Shopping, High Involvement Products, New-Car Market

In recent years, menstruation and menstruation hygiene products has had an increased interest, which has resulted in the topic being debated in many parts of the world. Change has been encouraged and some countries have acted to facilitate women's consumption of menstrual hygiene products. Sweden is not one of those countries, which means that menstrual hygiene products are neither free nor have reduced prices in the stores. Therefore, new business models such as online subscriptions need to be explored to increase the availability of menstrual hygiene products in the Swedish society. It can facilitate the buying process for women who consume the products, as the alternatives increase. The purpose of this thesis is to gain knowledge on how subscription-based business models influence the customer experience for women who consume menstrual hygiene products. New research is required to provide a perception of how subscriptions affect customers’ expectations and experience, which can result in a greater understanding of women's customer experience in this area. An interview guide was designed based on previous research and theories to be implemented in the focus groups which constituted the empirical findings. The findings were conducted by using a qualitative exploratory study of four focus groups with four participants in each. The thesis has used the conceptual framework when analyzing the empirical datawith the previous research to be able to identify patterns, similarities and differences. The conclusion of this thesis is that subscriptions to menstrual hygiene products can generate benefits that differ from one-time purchases. Menstruation and menstrual hygiene products is a sensitive topic that requires greater availability on the swedish market and subscriptions are one option. Identified touchpoints are flexibility, convenience, simplicity and time savings, which has a positive effect on the customer experience. Although, customer experience is defined differently and has individual meanings depending on the person. Therefore, it is challenging to measure the customer experience as the influencing factors vary between different people. Though, preferences for what affects the customer experience differ tosome extent between the age groups. Some barriers have been identified and the most prominent is irregular menstruationwhich can make subscriptions more complicated.

The modern retail landscape is experiencing a continuous change due to digitalization. With the growing number of available channels, consumers' consequent behavior within the fashion retail environment are becoming ever more complex. Which thus poses a challenge for fashion retailers in trying to not only understand them, but how to serve them best. Along this evolution of retail due to digitalization, physical retail stores have closed down due to the increasing competition from e-commerce, although it remains the biggest distribution channel. The role of the physical store is thus experiencing elements of an existential crisis. In this, Generation Z remains an ambiguous consumer segment whose importance will only increase as the generation comes into its purchasing prime. But, Generation Z is not yet well understood as limited research exists on the subject. And as they’re the digital native generation, where retail omnichannel strategies are commonplace, seeking to understand their attitudes, preferences and perceptions of omnichannel retailing, but also the physical store, is thus essential moving into the future. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to distinguish and explore the value of the physical store in the eyes of Generation Z in an omnichannel strategy, within the context of fashion retailing. RQ: What is the role of physical fashion stores within omnichannel strategy, in regard to Generation Z? In order to answer the research question, the method of choice was a qualitative one. The consequent empirical findings were gathered from seven semi-structured interviews, six from Generation Z respondents and one from the CCO of Gina Tricot, yielding a managerial perspective. Thus, allowing for triangulation opportunities. Moreover, besides the empirical findings, we present a proposed framework which illustrates how and why Generation Z’s behavior, preferences and perceptions have ultimately altered the role of physical stores to be one of increasing complementarity within the context of an omnichannel strategy. In describing this evolution, multiple characteristics of Generation Z are distinguished. Finally, this thesis provides a deepened knowledge on how retailers may use their physical store within an omnichannel strategy to better serve Generation Z consumers in order to enhance customer experience and satisfaction. The empirical findings exhibit the physical store as an essential part for consumers within the context of other available channels online. Where multiple aspects otherwise not satisfied through online channels, serve an important purpose for Generation Z consumers. This thesis may thus offer value for retailers in how to balance various appreciated aspects of the physical store, whilst incorporating some of the desired elements of online, to increase the customer experience of physical stores.

Syfte: Den här studien presenterar en ny vinkel på forskning inom engagemang och kundupplevelser. Studiens syfte är att undersöka hur konsumenters köpbeteende påverkas av vane-engagemang inom onlineshopping, samt att se hur kvalitén på den kognitiva kundupplevelsen påverkar vane-engagemanget. Metod: Studien utfördes genom en kvantitativ enkätundersökning. 134 respondenter deltog, varav 128 av dessa svar analyserades. Enkäten innehöll 57 frågor och var uppdelad i fem kategorier som representerade olika typer av produkter som inhandlas online. Vidare delades enkätens kategorier upp i två delar som var inriktade på vane-engagemang och kognitiv kundupplevelse. Inga kriterier fanns för deltagande och bortfallet skedde på grund utav en kontrollfråga i slutet på enkäten. Resultat & slutsats: Studiens resultat påvisade att majoriteten av respondenterna hade ett vane-engagemang gentemot enstaka hemsidor när de handlar inom alla produktkategorier. Den starkaste anledningen till detta är att bekvämligheten i vanan främjade detta beteende. En annan upptäckt som gjordes under studien var att kvalitén på den kognitiva kundupplevelsen har en tydlig påverkan på vane-engagemanget. Till sist så visade resultatet att vilket kön respondenten hade spelade en massiv roll i hur starkt vane-engagemanget var inom vissa av kategorierna. Examensarbetets bidrag: Studien har bidragit med ny information angående vane-engagemang och kognitiva kundupplevelser inom online-handel. Upptäckten att könen skiljer sig åt inom vane-engagemang är en synvinkel som inte tidigare tagits upp. En annan upptäckt är att den kognitiva kundupplevelsen kan påverka de autonoma responserna i individens beteende. Dessutom har studien bekräftat mängder med tidigare information som enbart tillämpats inom fysiska miljöer. Förslag till vidare forskning: Forskning kring samma ämne fast med en annan metod. Kvalitativa intervjuer eller experiment hade skapat djupare förståelse för ämnet. Hur påverkar vardaglig stress vane-engagemang hos konsumenten och könets påverkan på vane-engagemang? / Aim: This study presents a new view on research about engagement and customer experience. The aim of this study is to examine how consumers buying behavior gets affected by habitual commitment and how the quality of cognitive customer experiences affect habitual commitment Method: The study was made through a quantitative survey method. 134 respondents participated and 128 of these responses were analyzed. The survey contained 57 questions divided over a set of five categories which represented different kinds of products that usually get shopped online. Furthermore, the survey was divided inside of the categories to two parts, one part focused on habitual commitment and the other part on cognitive customer experience. No criteria for participation was set and the 6 answers that weren’t used got disqualified because of a control question at the end of the survey. Result & Conclusions: The result of the study shows that the majority of the respondents did have a habitual-commitment towards websites within every product category. The strongest factor for this was the comfortableness in the habit itself. Another finding was that the quality of the cognitive customer experience affected the habitual-commitment. The last finding wast hat the gender of the respondent differentiated how strong the habitual-commitment was. Contribution of the thesis: The study has contributed with new information about habitual-commitment and cognitive customer experience within online shopping. The finding about the gender differentiation within habitual-commitment is a new perspective that hasn’t been mentioned before. Another finding is how cognitive customer experience can affect the habitual-commitment. Also, this study has confirmed a lot of information that only was applicable in physical settings before. Suggestions for future research: Studies about the same subject but with different methodologies. Qualitative interviews and experiments would have created a deeper understanding of the topic. How does everyday stress affect the habitual commitment of a consumer and does the consumer's gender affect how strong the habitual commitment is?

This thesis establishes that the knowledge is limited in customer experience and meal-kit subscriptions written from a business perspective. The current coronavirus pandemic has contributed to a rapid surge for an industry already expected to take more significant portions of the global food market. In conjunction with an attractive business model and increasing competition, there are reasons to believe that a positive customer experience will be of the highest importance for the future of meal-kit subscriptions. The research has chosen the segment of young adults to demonstrate areas for companies to improve. The findings will eventually present solutions for companies to reach a highly desired customer segment before the competitors. Furthermore, the research summarizes how companies can develop the customer experience based on consumer values.

Actualmente las compras y servicios online han crecido exponencialmente, por lo cual las diferentes industrias se han visto en la necesidad de mejorar estos servicios y enfocarse en satisfacer las nuevas necesidades del consumidor. Una de las industrias más afectadas por esta migración al canal online han sido los retailers, por lo que estos han optado por potencializar sus plataformas online, especialmente las tiendas por departamento las cuales tienen gran presencia en el mercado peruano. Las tiendas departamentales, han implementado nuevas estrategias para adaptarse a este nuevo consumidor, entre las cuales destaca el otorgarle el control al cliente durante su experiencia online para que este se sienta empoderado y, por ende, satisfecho. Para la elaboración del paper, partimos de la relación ya planteada por varios autores entre el Customer Empowerment (CE) y la satisfacción de los clientes, sin embargo, hemos enfocado este trabajo de investigación al estudio de la relación de estas variables, pero netamente en un entorno digital la cual es una relación no tan estudiada. Por lo tanto, en el presente documento, se analizarán las dimensiones del Customer Empowerment en relación con la E-Satisfacción de los retailers. En esta investigación se propone realizar encuestas para, posteriormente, analizar los datos obtenidos mediante el método de regresión lineal. Ello, con la finalidad de encontrar una posible relación entre estas dos variables y evaluar qué dimensión del CE es más significativa en relación a la E-Satisfacción. / Nowadays, online purchases and services have grown exponentially. For this reason, industries have identified the need to improve these services and focus on satisfying the new expectations of their consumers. Retail industry is one of the most affected by this migration to online channels, so they have chosen to strengthen their online platforms, especially the department stores that have a strong presence in the Peruvian market. Department stores have implemented new strategies to adapt to the new consumer, such as granting control to customers´ online experience making them feel empowered and consequently satisfied. This paper has been prepared based on the relationship between Customer Empowerment and Customer Satisfaction, which have already been suggested by several authors. However, this research study focuses on the relationship of these variables in a digital environment. In this paper, we will analyze the dimensions of customer empowerment with regards to retailers´ e-satisfaction. In this research we propose to conduct surveys to subsequently analyze the data obtained by using the linear regression method in order to find a possible relationship between these two variables and evaluate which dimension of customer empowerment is more significant in terms of e-satisfaction. / Trabajo de investigación