Title: Going with the consumer towards the social web environment: a review of extant knowledge

Authors: Inma Rodriguez-Ardura, Francisco J. Martinez-Lopez, Paula Luna

Addresses: Department of Economics and Business, Internet Interdisciplinary Institute, Open University of Catalonia (Universitat Oberta de Catalunya), Avda. Tibidabo 39-43, CP: 08035 Barcelona, Spain. ' Department of Management, University of Granada, Campus de Cartuja s/n, CP: 18071, Granada, Spain; Marketing Group, Department of Economic and Business, Open University of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain. ' Department of Financial Economy and Operations Research, University of Seville, Avda. Ramon y Cajal 1, CP: 41018 Seville, Spain

Abstract: The social web environment cannot be explained without taking into account the use made by consumers of the web technologies in the field of e-commerce. Starting with a systematic background of the growing body of research on marketing and consumer behaviour on the web, this article presents a critical review of the main contributions on this theme, integrating also the research field of consumer behaviour in the social web environment. It concludes with some managerial guidelines for successful use of the social web in the commercial activities and in the establishment of fruitful relationships between the consumers and the brand.

Keywords: consumer behaviour; social web; e-commerce; electronic commerce; electronic marketing; e-marketing; online marketing.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEMR.2010.036885

International Journal of Electronic Marketing and Retailing, 2010 Vol.3 No.4, pp.415 - 440

Published online: 15 Nov 2010 *

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