Understanding consumer buying process in collaborative consumption

Abstract

Collaborative consumption (CC) is a form of exchange which occurs within three actors: a platform provider, a peer service provider, and a customer. CC has gained broad attention among researchers in recent years. How consumers make buying decisions in CC has gained less attention. Drawing on a review of relevant academic research author offers insights on (1) how the five-stage model of consumer buying process can help us to understand consumer buying behavior in collaborative consumption and (2) how consumer buying process differs in CC compared to other modes of exchange. With an enhanced understanding of the consumer buying process the author introduces a framework called the five-stage buying process in CC. Finally, author gives recommendations for platform providers and peer service providers.