How do consumers co-create their experiences? An exploration in the heritage sector

TLDR

Co‑creation research has largely focused on value, leaving unanswered questions about what is actually being co‑created. This study moves beyond value to examine the co‑creation of consumption experience, distinguishing it from value co‑creation and proposing a definitive conceptual framework. Using customer‑critic analysis with consumers from two heritage organisations, the authors investigate the manifestations and antecedents of consumption‑experience co‑creation and develop a framework. The study identifies three facets of consumption‑experience co‑creation—co‑production, engagement, and personalisation—and demonstrates that the proposed model advances empirical discussion and offers a foundation for future research.

Abstract

Whilst the body of work around co-creation has grown, co-creation continues to be considered from a value perspective with key questions, such as what is actually being co-created, remaining unanswered. This article moves beyond value to experiences and explores co-creation of the consumption experience. The research examines the manifestations and antecedents of co-creation of the consumption experience from a consumer angle and presents a co-creation framework. Customer critic analysis with consumers from two exemplar heritage organisations is used to investigate co-creation. The findings illuminate three facets of co-creation: co-production, engagement, and personalisation. This paper addresses a gap in Service-Dominant Logic theory, arts/heritage, and broader marketing literature by distinguishing between co-creation of value and co-creation of the consumption experience and proposing a definitive conceptualisation of the latter. The proposed model progresses the co-creation discussion to an empirical level and provides a foundation for future research.