Converting virtual community members into online buyers.
Sumeet Gupta1, Hee-Woong Kim, Seon-Jin Shin
1Shri Shankaracharya Institute of Management and Technology, Bhilai, India.
Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking
|October 19, 2010
Summary
Many online vendors struggle to profit from virtual communities (VCs). This study reveals that committed member participation in a VC is key to converting members into online buyers, unlocking commercial benefits.
Area of Science:
- Business Administration
- Marketing
- Consumer Behavior
Background:
- Online vendors sponsor virtual communities (VCs) aiming for commercial success.
- Many vendors fail to achieve significant commercial benefits from their VCs.
- Converting VC members into online buyers is crucial for vendor success.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the process of converting virtual community members into online buyers.
- To identify factors that enable online vendors to achieve commercial benefits from VCs.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a classical-conditioning theoretical framework.
- Analyzed the relationship between member participation and conversion to buyers.
Main Results:
- Found that committed participation in a VC is a critical factor.
- This committed participation acts as a springboard for converting members into customers.
Conclusions:
- Online vendors can achieve commercial success by fostering committed participation in their VCs.
- Leveraging committed engagement is essential for transforming community members into buyers.
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