Customer Value Co-Creation in E-Business and Development Suggestions to the Field of Home Textiles
Ronkainen, Sanna (2013)
Kemi-Tornion ammattikorkeakoulu Lapin ammattikorkeakoulu
2013
All rights reserved
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2013112518014
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2013112518014
Tiivistelmä
The objective of this study was to research customer value co-creation in e-business in the field of home textiles and various other business fields and weight the presupposition and provide customer value co-creation development suggestions to the field of home textiles. The assumption was that value creation and customer co-creation is utilized better in other business field than in the field of home textiles. The six case companies in this study were NetAnttila.com, Marimekko, IKEA, Ifolor Oy, Lego Group and Fab.com.
The case companies in e-business platforms were the providers of the main data for the research but also various secondary resources were drawn from for the theoretical research, financial statement, annual reports, media kits and e-newspapers. The spiral stages of analyses comprised observation, data collection, description, classification and synthesis. Transitions back and forth between stages deepened the understanding over the phenomenon.
Based on evidence gathered it seems that assumption was partly right. Case companies in the field of home textiles have lower scores when combining all scores together. Nevertheless, Ifolor’s combined value creation scores are lower than Net.Anttila’s and IKEA’s and Fab.com’s combined customer co-creation scores are lower than Marimekko’s. Each case company has strengths and weaknesses in value creation and customer co-creation despite the field of field of business.
The conclusion is that the field of home textiles should attract customers with efficient e-business platform, novel designs and novel network parties’ and complementarities that are innovation driven. After a time, the attraction of customers is retained via a strong brand. This study suggests that tinkering should be the first step on customer co-creation in the field of home textiles. Co-designing and submitting should be explored shortly after in e-business in the field of home textiles because modern customers are expecting novelties in companies’ offerings. Collaborating is the most challenging development possibility.
The case companies in e-business platforms were the providers of the main data for the research but also various secondary resources were drawn from for the theoretical research, financial statement, annual reports, media kits and e-newspapers. The spiral stages of analyses comprised observation, data collection, description, classification and synthesis. Transitions back and forth between stages deepened the understanding over the phenomenon.
Based on evidence gathered it seems that assumption was partly right. Case companies in the field of home textiles have lower scores when combining all scores together. Nevertheless, Ifolor’s combined value creation scores are lower than Net.Anttila’s and IKEA’s and Fab.com’s combined customer co-creation scores are lower than Marimekko’s. Each case company has strengths and weaknesses in value creation and customer co-creation despite the field of field of business.
The conclusion is that the field of home textiles should attract customers with efficient e-business platform, novel designs and novel network parties’ and complementarities that are innovation driven. After a time, the attraction of customers is retained via a strong brand. This study suggests that tinkering should be the first step on customer co-creation in the field of home textiles. Co-designing and submitting should be explored shortly after in e-business in the field of home textiles because modern customers are expecting novelties in companies’ offerings. Collaborating is the most challenging development possibility.