ابعاد و ارتباط ارزش مصرف کننده : یک برنامه برای صنعت تقسیم زمانی

The concept of consumer value has been hailed as the “very underpinning” of marketing, yet the concept has been subjected to limited empirical research, particularly in the hospitality industry. This study investigates the value that consumers derive from ownership of timeshare holiday products. A total of 785 people answered questions regarding their background, timeshare ownership, valuing of timeshare, and satisfaction with timeshare. Confirmatory factor analyses showed consumer value to be a multi-dimensional construct comprising opportunities for relaxation, gift-giving, status, quality, flexibility, fun, new experiences, and financial benefits. These value dimensions varied with other factors such as type of timeshare ownership (e.g., weeks, points).

What is consumer value? How do perceptions of value change over time? Is value a uni- or multi-dimensional construct? How can knowledge of value be used to understand consumer behaviour? These questions are important because, as Holbrook (2005) notes, customer value is the very underpinning of marketing. Without value, there is little likelihood of any market development or sustainability. Yet research into consumer value is still under developed or “seriously deficient” (Woodruff and Flint, 2006, p. 184). This paper presents a conceptual model of consumer value relevant to a specific hospitality product—timeshare resort ownership. First, we review the literature pertaining to the meaning and dimensionality of value. Second, the value concept is applied to the timeshare industry. Third, we report a survey-based study that sheds light on the dimensionality and correlates of value. Analyses show that consumer values differ with characteristics of the timeshare product, such as type of ownership. Finally, we discuss applications of the value construct to the understanding of consumer behaviour and the marketing of hospitality and tourism products.

Knowledge of the ways in which, and the extent to which, consumers derive value from a good or service is vital to the management and marketing of that product. In this study of approximately 700 Australian timeshare owners, we identified eight types of value that consumers derive from their timeshare investment and use, and we showed that ratings of these values predict owner satisfaction. We also demonstrated that levels of consumer value vary with type of timeshare ownership. Further research is needed to explore the stability of consumer values over time, and the impact of strategies aimed at enhancing consumer value on satisfaction, word-of-mouth behaviours and re-purchase decisions.