Virksomhedernes konkurrencesituation på internettet

Abstract

Denne afhandling inddrager en række forskellige kilder med henblik på i første om-gang at analysere den moderne forbruger på internettet, der benytter mediets mulighe-der for at afsøge markedet og diskutere med andre forbrugere. Denne forbrugerklasse bliver på baggrund af et historisk rids benævnt den bevidste forbruger. Afhandlingen gennemgår derefter en række fremtidsvisioner og statistik og afslutter denne del med udarbejdelsen af en interviewguide, som efterfølgende benyttes ved fire interviews med udvalgte onlinevirksomheder. Konklusionerne er blandt andet at den bevidste forbruger eksisterer, men i varierende omfang indenfor forskellige brancher. Det er således nødvendigt, at forskellige virk-somheder benytter individuelle løsninger i forsøget på at tiltrække de bevidste forbru-gere. Samlet set konkluderes det dog på baggrund af de tilgængelige kilder, at danske virksomheder generelt ikke er tilstrækkelig bevidste om at udnytte internetmediets muligheder. I perspektiveringen ligges der op til, at denne afhandling kan udgøre fun-damentet for en videre segmentering i forskellige forbrugertyper.

The purpose of this master thesis has been to study how companies in different lines of businesses are positioning themselves in relation to the consumers new behaviour on the Internet and what opportunities and challenges this creates for the companies. The thesis begins with a historical summary of consumer behaviour throughout the last decades and ends up with a definition of a conscious consumer. It also concludes that the consumers new behaviour on the Internet to a high extent is based on conscious choices, which are deeply rooted in the information that is available to him on the Internet. With a rather small amount of literature present on the subject it was chosen to combine various sources of information with the aim of reaching a conclusion based on a solid foundation. A three-sided model consisting of visionary theories, statistics and an interview survey formed the foundation for the thesis. The three main theories showed various consumer types with different views on the consumer. Basically the consumers motivation or reason for buying products proved to be the difference between the theories. One of the theories argues for an intelligent, well-informed, rational and demanding consumer on the Internet. Where this theory finds the consumer very critical of advertisements on the Internet another sees opportunities in branding and loyal customers as well. The last theory takes this a step further and pleads that future consumers will become so prosperous that brand, signalling value; storytelling and putting products into contexts will be even more important and finally surpass the value of the product itself. The theories and the statistics about consumers use of the Internet was the starting point for compiling the interview guide used in a later series of qualitative interviews. The interviews with four quite different companies set the theories into another perspective in the analysis and showed among other things that the theories are based on a very narrow understanding of the consumer. It was pointed out that several factors were influencing the consumers information search process. It was among other things the consumers interest in the product; ability to find the information and to what extent the information is available. Furthermore, the analysis showed that the companies are facing a challenge to adjust themselves to the conscious consumers and the new market these constitute. The thesis concludes that companies have various opportunities in succeeding this, but the choice regarding the companies further online development needs to be made. One important decision concerns in what manner the company chooses to publish information and marketing on the Internet. Depending on the type of products being either unique or standardized the company with more unique products, about which only little information is available, have the opportunity to create conscious consumers by providing various types of information about products and the company itself. Companies with more standardized products have the opportunity to distance themselves from their competitors by creating value-added products according to the theories' advices and thereby being able to raise the products price tags.

A master thesis from Aalborg University

Virksomhedernes konkurrencesituation på internettet

[Companies' competitive situation on the Internet]