The customer journey for the purchase of visual art and the impact of eWOM information

In this study, the influence of eWOM information on consumer decision-making will be applied to the case of hedonic products and particularly visual art. Namely, even the art industry is quickly expanding into online mediated channels and attracting new markets and online art audiences (Skate's, 2014). As such, art-buying patterns are rapidly transferring to online channels where a significant growth of online art spaces is revolutionizing communication and established hierarchies in this sector with social media aiding validation and increasing buyers' confidence (Arttactic, 2014). Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are thus becoming major platforms for finding and sharing information about art, which is transforming art appreciation and collecting into a social activity with a sharing of knowledge and tastes. This study applies a qualitative method of data collection in order to delve into the phenomenon and acquire insight about consumer attitudes and understanding of behaviours (Hanson and Grimmer, 2007).