Capturing Leading Factors Contributing to Consumer Engagement in Online Packaging Co-design Platform: A Focus Group Study and a Research Model Proposal

Abstract

In recent years, an important marketing trend has been developed where consumer-firm collaboration and interaction take place. Today, the value co-creation strategy is a new way that companies adopt to create value with consumers and for both of them. In areas including innovation and new product/service development, the value co-creation remains the most appealing concept which allows the company to effectively allocate its resources in line with consumers’ needs and preferences. The co-creation revolution was widely supported by the development of information and communication technologies and the web 2.0 techniques which changed consumers’ role into an active partner. However, we need to know: why do consumers engage in new product development (here, olive oil packaging) through virtual interface? Based on a profound literature review related to consumer engagement in value co-creation experiences and in online environments, we arrived finally at a clear definition of consumer engagement concept that fits the context of our research. An exploratory study, employing three focus groups, was then conducted in order to explore the key factors that influence consumer engagement decision in online olive oil packaging design through a virtual co-design interface. The main findings highlight the importance of consumer intrinsic and extrinsic motivations, his innovativeness, his product involvement and his perception of the co-design platform interactivity and usability of the co-design interface as the main factors that influence consumer’s engagement in the virtual co-design experience. From the exploratory study’s findings, we develop a research model that addresses the antecedents of consumer engagement construct.

Appendices

Appendix A: Interview Guide

Introductory part: Olive oil consumption and bottle packaging:

• 1 - Do you consume olive oil?

• 2 - How much olive oil do you consume on a weekly basis?

• 3 - Where do you buy olive oil? How do you buy it? (In bulk, in bottle, in 5 L bottles, etc.)

• 4 - Do you think that olive oil packaging influences the perception of its quality?

Centering: Co-creation and consumer participation:

Now, let’s imagine that you are online and you find a virtual platform for conceiving a new product packaging. This platform gives you a variety of tools that enable you to create a new packaging design. You can also find a forum where you can discuss and exchange information with other participants.

• 1 - What do you think of a company that involves consumers in the design of its products’ packaging?

• 2 - Do you think that consumer engagement helps the company improve its products?

• 3 - If you have the possibility to participate in developing the packaging design of a new product using a virtual platform, would you participate?

• 4 - If yes, what would motivate you most?

• 5 - Would the product type incite you/drive you away from participating in the co-conception experience?

• 6 - Do you think that the platform system and variables (accessibility, ease of manipulation, design, etc.) would be determinant factors of your participation?

• 7 - Let’s imagine that you are on the platform, what would you do, where would you start from?

Closure:

• 8 - Would you buy the product after participating in the design of its packaging?

Appendix B

See Fig. 2.

Fig. 2.

Tunisian olive oil product

Appendix C

See Fig. 3.

Fig. 3.

Examples of customization platforms