Toward auto-netnography in consumer studies

The purpose of this article is to offer an argument for a wider acceptance and adoption of online auto-ethnography—or auto-netnography as an alternative social media research method to online ethnography—or netnography—when undertaking consumer research.

Introduction

As the marketing paradigm moves to attempt to understand better more behavioral and experiential considerations of consumers, related methodological requirements have also shifted (Xun & Reynolds, 2010). Those consumers participating in virtual worlds are more connected than ever before and are able to communicate with each other both synchronously and asynchronously, and from virtually any location. The development of Web 2.0 technology and interactive applicationsoffer numerous opportunities for qualitative consumer research. In the consumer milieu, these actors are increasingly turning to social media applications for information on which to base their purchase decisions, and these online communities appear to...

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