Consumer Science for Online Commerce- Period 1

The Internet and digital media have transformed marketing and business since the first website went live a long time ago. More than 20 years later over one billion people around the globe regularly use the web to find products, entertainment and soulmates. Consumer behavior and the way companies market to both consumers and businesses have changed dramatically. To succeed in the future, organizations will need marketers, strategists and agencies with up-to-date knowledge about the digital consumer and his or her behavior. Digital marketing is an exciting area to be involved in, since it poses many new opportunities and challenges yearly, monthly and even daily. Innovation is a given with the continuous introduction of new technologies, new business models and new communication approaches. How consumers deal with these changes and apply them to their personal lives becomes more important for marketers to understand.

In this course you are inspired and challenged to discover the possibilities and consumer response to digital developments. Typically, topics may evolve around issues such as: (online) customer journeys; different phases and touch points in the journey; contextual influences (assortments, web design, product presentation); social interactions (social media, online reviews); and mobile commerce.

The classes are highly interactive. This means, that it will require a high degree of participation and preparation from the students.

Contact hours listed under a course description may vary due to the combination of lecture-based and independent work required for each course therefore, CEA's recommended credits are based on the ECTS credits assigned by VU Amsterdam. 1 ECTS equals 28 contact hours assigned by VU Amsterdam.