تحقیقات بازار یابی نوین (Feb 2023)
Identifying and Understanding harm to Consumers with a Sense of Perceived Victim Using Grounded Theory
Abstract
Abstract One of the main and modern concepts in relation to today's consumers is that they can be easily harmed by the purchase, acquisition, or disposal of goods and services, or be abused or deceived. Each of these causes cause harm to consumers and in some cases creates a sense of victim for them. Psychologists can analyze consumers' movements, attitudes, perceptions, expectations, right or wrong decisions, and the intention to buy or possibly repurchase goods or services. The category of harm to consumers with a sense of perceived victim is one of the most important and at the same time neglected concepts in the field of consumer-related literature. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to identify the types of damage to the consumer. In this qualitative research, relying on the database theory and using semi-structured interviews, the extracted data were coded in three levels (i.e. open, central, and selective), and Atlas TI software was used for data analysis. Based on the codes obtained from the interviews, and after the theoretical saturation of the interviews with 15 consumers who considered themselves victims, 300 subcategories, 14 categories, and 11 themes were extracted. The results indicated that economic conditions as underlying or intervening factors, individual conditions and social conditions as causal factors, emotional conditions and emotional consumption as central factors, and mental confusion as well as communication confusion as two strategic factors that led to harming the consumer. This creates personal, legal, and civil consequences. Introduction One of the main concepts in relation to today's consumers is that they can easily suffer damage from purchases, or be abused or deceived. Each of these cases causes harm to the consumer and in some cases, creates a feeling of being a victim. Sometimes the damage is due to the ignorance or lack of knowledge of the consumer who notices these damages after consumption. Therefore, the consumer has been abused, deceived, or cheated by the provider of goods and services and suffered and experiences various damages. Different conditions are the bases of different damages for the consumer, which neither the consumer is unaware of the damages of consumption, nor the provider of goods and services intends to abuse or deceive. Victimized consumers experience bitter or at least unpleasant experiences that can have negative consequences for their families. In the present study, various examples of consumer damage are identified. Methodology This study aims to identify types of victimized consumers using a grounded theory approach. Based on this, after saturated interviews, 15 people were selected as a sample of participants in this section by snowball sampling. After determining and agreeing on the selected codes, 300 subcategories, 41 categories, and 11 content themes were extracted from the participants in the interview. Findings In the current research, based on the participants' point of view, causal factors were categorized into two concepts: individual and social conditions. Individual conditions have six categories of insistence on consumption, psychological conditions, the psychological pressure of others, stubbornness, mental disorders, and loose elements. Social conditions have seven categories of product necessity, trust in others, trust in brands, and recommendations of sellers. The advice of others is a fraud, and the consumer is a victim of the environment and government policies. Contextual or intervening factors are identified with three concepts of economic conditions, advertising, and advertising effects. Also, based on the participants' point of view, two concepts of emotional conditions and emotional consumption were identified as central factors. Conclusion According to the results of this research and the knowledge of the typology of the victim consumer, it is possible to inform the consumers about the correct purchase strategies and provide them with the necessary warnings to avoid harm. For example, it is suggested that people avoid rushing to buy and make sudden purchases and consult with others before making a purchase in order to make a successful purchase. If possible, if they have no experience in shopping, they should try to do the shopping in a group with people who have the expertise and check all aspects of a product or service completely. .
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