Exploring positive online customer experience formation : a study of food waste shoppers

Abstract

This qualitative study investigates the formation of positive online customer experiences in the context of online grocery shopping. This study analyzes customers’ written descriptions of the causes of their positive experiences when visiting an online store. Data were collected with an online survey of 581 respondents. The case company is a Finnish online retailer, Fiksuruoka Ltd. Fiksuruoka’s business idea is to sell food waste; its product range consists of surplus groceries that are in danger of being disposed of. The findings show that four main themes contribute positively to the online customer experience. Positive customer experiences were explained by factors related to 1) the shopping process and online store features, 2) shoppers’ finds, 3) pricing, and 4) the shopping context (food waste). Under these themes, 17 subthemes were identified. The findings emphasize the smoothness of the shopping process and low prices in a positive customer experience. It is also essential that the online store foster feelings of success, enjoyment, and self-satisfaction among customers. The joy of discovery and the ability to act for a good cause were identified as essential contributors to a positive online customer experience.