The Connected Customer: The Changing Nature of Consumer and Business Markets

In today’s connected consumer environment, customers are better informed and harder to please, but they also leave a more visible evidence trail in the form of improved databases and customer information. Consumers are increasingly interconnected through various sorts of social networks, a trend that is facilitated by recent advances in electronic media and telecommunication. Initiatives on the internet, for example, have created ample opportunity for consumers to connect with other consumers through social networking sites (MySpace, Facebook, Cyworld) and information sharing sites (YouTube, MyStarbucksIdea.com, and others). The contributors to this book are internationally renowned scholars who share their thoughts on the impact of the phenomenon of connectivity on marketing thought and marketing practices. This book will guide marketers and marketing/consumer scholars in dealing with the new reality of consumer and business marketing in today’s technological world.