Understanding Consumer Behavior in Technology-Mediated Spaces

Substantial improvements in technology have been influencing not only strategies and structures of firms but also consumers’ social and economic lives. In terms of the former, in order to respond to the alterations in the technological environment, and ultimately, to stay ahead of the competition, firms have been making continuous attempts to fit their internal resources and competencies with the external circumstances. Concerning the latter, having an enormous impact on the manner of communicating, consuming, and progressing, technological advancements have been shaping consumers’ daily lives. Specifically, digital technology has affected consumers’ routines and habits, which in turn has led to changes in consumer behavior. In today’s highly digitalized environment, it is indisputable that technological developments considerably influence how both firms and consumers behave. Notably, the extensive usage of the Internet and, ultimately, consumers’ growing involvement in digital devices have led to noticeable changes in consumer behavior by affecting the ways to communicate, consume, and progress. Together with these, the roles of firms and consumers have significantly altered, which in turn have yielded to the increase in the importance of digital marketing activities in general, and online customer experiences, e-customer relationship management, and customer co-creation practices, in particular.