Collaborative practices and consumerist habitus : An analysis of the transformative mechanisms of collaborative consumption

Abstract

In 2010, collaborative consumption was raised up as a disruptive and even revolutionary mode of consumption. Adopting a theoretical and methodological framework inspired by the praxeology of Pierre Bourdieu, this article offers a study of this transformative prophecy. Qualitative data were collected incrementally and using various methods. Their analysis reveals that consumers identify and adopt these activities above all in practical ways shaped by commercial mechanisms. Although influenced by this consumerist habitus, some collaborative practices are also based on an alternative market mindset. Furthermore, consumers identify a space for practices between which they navigate in dynamic ways. Based on these mechanisms and the level of perceived socialisation inherent in collaborative activities, we propose to discuss the consumerist habitus, the transformative potential of such practices and the challenges ahead for marketing research.