In the last decades, the focus of studies on consumer behavior has changed from the individual to the group. Classical theories based on economic utility are insufficient to understand this phenomenon. Therefore, a new theoretical and postmodern approach seems necessary. Despite the increasing popularity of consumption communities, the investigation in the field is still dispersed. This study represents one first attempt to synthesize findings on the topic, in light of the consumer culture theory (CCT) tradition. CCT provides a useful framework to understand the social, cultural, experiential, and symbolic aspects of consumption. In this paper, we perform a systematic literature review on consumption communities. We also suggest an agenda for future research on the topic, consisting of its emerging themes and a set of propositions of study.
Marketplace cultures, one of the main theoretical frameworks within consumer culture theory (CCT), offers grounds for the study of consumer interactions with the marketplace. One kind of consumer interaction occurs inside consumption communities. Most of the consumption communities nowadays are online. Consumers go online to get information and advice from peers on their consumption options and processes. They participate in online forums and communities to connect with like-minded individuals, discuss topics of interest and share experiences. Taking the interpretive lens of CCT, we propose to analyse the ‘life’ of online consumption communities in the context of vegan consumption communities. We present the research agenda for this in-progress study and the suggestions for further research on consumption communities and, more specifically, vegan communities, as identified in our literature review.
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