Personal network and consumer mobility: the key role of the visitor friends and relatives on the consumption behavior of the visited member[Réseau personnel et mobilité du consommateur: le rôle clé du visiteur des amis et de la famille sur le comportement de consommation du membre visité]

The literature highlights that consumer mobility is a key theme in the research field related to consumer behavior. Accordingly, behavior investigated often depends on the place of destination, which is generally conceived as a new context for social relations and consumer culture. However, mobility can also occurs in places where personal ties exist, as in the case of Visit Friends and Relatives (VFR) travelers, who intermittently visit members of their geographically dispersed personal network. Researches on consumer behavior during the visit of relatives and friends are often focused on host members. Alternatively, by focusing on the experience of visiting members who periodically move towards places where they have social relationships, we investigate how vising members influence the visited member's consumer behavior. Semi-structured interviews reveal that the visiting member may significantly affect the consumption behavior of visited members. These results present both opportunities and risks for companies.