Title: Investigating the segment specific preferences for hedonic and utilitarian online-shop characteristics: the case of German online wine shops

Authors: Frank Habann; Christopher Zerres; Lukas Zaworski

Addresses: University of Applied Sciences Offenburg, Badstraße 24, 77652 Offenburg, Germany ' University of Applied Sciences Offenburg, Badstraße 24, 77652 Offenburg, Germany ' University of Applied Sciences Offenburg, Badstraße 24, 77652 Offenburg, Germany

Abstract: Recently the market for grocery online-shopping is expanding. Therefore, this study analyse the influencing factors of online shoppers' preferences for online wine shops with an adaptive choice-based conjoint analysis (ACBC). As these factors in general differ for hedonic and utilitarian goods, we investigated what characteristics presented in the online-shop are most important to customers of a primarily hedonic product like wine. Surprisingly, respondents in general favoured utilitarian over hedonic characteristic levels. In addition, we identified two distinct customer groups by applying a preference-based market segmentation (CCEA). The price/efficiency-seeking group favoured utilitarian characteristics. The quality-seeking group favoured hedonic over utilitarian characteristics, but with a strong importance of some utilitarian website characteristics. Finally management implications are presented.

Keywords: online shopping behaviour; adaptive conjoint analysis; hedonic and utilitarian goods; preference-based market segmentation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2018.093390

International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising, 2018 Vol.12 No.3, pp.255 - 269

Received: 13 Dec 2016
Accepted: 07 Aug 2017
Published online: 25 Jul 2018 *

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