Car abusers
The access economy could easily become a theme for a new season of In Treatment with its ongoing trust and behavioral issues. This week it lies on the couch of two researchers that tried to figure out why consumers don’t take good care of their Zipcars and what we can learn from it on consumer-object and consumer-to-consumer relationships in the sharing economy overall. The researchers, Prof. Fleura Bardhi and Prof. Giana Eckhardt present some very interesting findings. For example, they found that although Zipcar attempts to build a brand community, consumers currently do not want this type of engagement.
“Our study represents the first look at how consumers think, feel, and act when they are accessing rather than purchasing products, and we discovered that the nature of access-based consumption is inherently different from ownership,” the researchers write. So what is exactly the nature of access consumption and what does it mean for the future of the access economy?
The study, Sharing Isn’t Always Caring: Why Don’t Consumers Take Care of Their Zipcars?, will be published in December in the Journal of Consumer Research provides an interesting academic perspective on the access economy. The researchers identified six dimensions or types of access – temporality, anonymity, market mediation, consumer involvement, type of accessed object and political consumerism.
The study focuses on market-mediated access-based consumption and more specifically on car sharing, conducting it with Zipcar users. The researchers not only interviewed Zipcar users (40 in total), but also rode in Zipcars with them to gain a firsthand understanding of how consumers use Zipcars, conduct transactions, follow company regulation and so on. Their analysis generated four main findings that might be specific to Zipcar, but also provide valuable lessons to the rest of the access economy, including both peer-to-peer and market-mediated services:
1. Lack of identification with the accessed objects (or: Zipcar equals a hotel room): The researchers show how three of the dimensions of access – specifically short-term temporal duration, anonymity, and market mediation, inhibit a sense of identification with the item used. As Ashley, one of the interviewees said, “Zipcars are sort of like hotel rooms: they’re clean, anonymous, and comfortable but not really cozy. It’s like a hotel room kind of experience, where you’re in some place that’s really not yours; you’re never going to be really comfortable.” The conclusion was that similar to other services like hotel rooms, the relationship to the shared cars is one of instrumental utility rather than connection.
Lesson for the access economy: A sense of identification with your service is the Holy Grail but it doesn’t mean you can’t do well without it.
Comments
With an ever-increasing demand, the internet has become the perfect vehicle where buyers and sellers of pre-used car parts meet and negotiate. Whether you buy online or at an actual store, the most important thing is that you find a legitimate dealer that offers quality and affordability. Here are some things to remember when buying used car parts.
1. Know the car component that you need. Nothing could be worse than purchasing a car part only to find out that it doesn't fit. As much as possible, when you go to the store, bring the part that needs replacement to make sure that you get exactly what you need.
2. Prepare your car's VIN or Vehicle Identification Number. This will provide the dealer with the right information about your car which includes the model, year and make. Your VIN will come in handy especially when buying drive train parts like transmissions and engines.
3. Don't be afraid to ask questions.Some people hesitate to ask questions because they are afraid to sound like a novice. As a result, they end up getting the wrong item. It doesn't matter if you know a lot about cars or not. What matters is getting the right item that will bring back the functionality of your car. And you can do so by asking the right questions to the right people.
4. Consider purchasing online or at local swap meets.However, you need to be aware that pre-used items are not usually returnable. So, make sure to check the item properly before making a purchase.
5. Know which car parts are re-usable and which aren't. Example of parts that can be reused if in good condition are air box, bumpers, door lock, interior trim, jack, stereo system, fuel tank gad cap, exhaust heat shield, steering wheel, seats, lug nuts, vacuum reservoir, wiper arm, glass windows, wheels, tie rods, oil pan, exhaust pipes, etc.
I am so glad that some one else recognizes how lame and artificial this "Zipcar brand community" is. I am no longer a ZIpcar member. I moved from the Capitol Hill neighborhood in Seattle to Edgewood, Wash. No Zipcars available around here in Edgewood for several miles, unfortunately.
When I was a member, I found it slightly rritating to get email solicitations from Zipcar about taking part in a community cleanup at a local park, for example. I agree with the author's message here about asking your customers/clients/members if they want to be part of a brand community first. And not assume that just because I am using Zipcar I want to be part of a collective. Quite honestly it's kind of a little creepy. Like a skit out of Portlandia. I did not want to self-identify as a Zipcar ditto head, particularly since my political leanings are right of center when it comes to sustainability (at least compared to some of the people I ran into in Seattle). And I certainly didn't want to do some stupid wave to a fellow Zipcardian on the road. How lame.
I just wanted a decent car, in good working order, clean, and fueled up, ready to go for a reasonable price per hour. That's all. Oh, and fast and courteous service whenever I called in, which was rare.
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