My dear handbags: materiality and networked constellations of consumption collections

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to go beyond the market–consumer intersection and investigate consumer collecting as a network constellation, which includes a range of material and human actants. Design/methodology/approach This research adopts a qualitative research process that includes non-participatory netnography and semi-structured online interviews to collect both textual and visual data. Researchers drew from the field of visual anthropology to analyse the visual data. In addition, thematic analysis was used to identify, analyse and report the patterns within textual data. Findings Findings of this research reveals key agentic properties of collection constellations and explains how they contribute to the development of seriality and the experience of novelty by shaping curatorial practices within collection pursuits. From the time a collection has been assembled to its countless re-configurations, the network that is composed of a focal collector and a host of other actants interacting within a particular collecting ecology plays an essential role in challenging the agency of the market and the individual collectors. Research limitations/implications Although this research investigated consumer collecting from a network perspective, it did not explore changes within those constellations and how such changes implicate collecting behaviour. Therefore, future research may benefit from investigating network transformations on consumer collecting, particularly on curatorial practices and how they shape the trajectory of consumer collections. Practical implications Understanding collecting as a relational and iterative “network constellation” enables marketers to engage with their consumers in a more meaningful way. By actively seeking to use the network agentic properties, brands can aid avid handbag consumers and passionate collectors to keep their collections relevant and meaningful. It allows brands to play a role beyond the purchasing stage that characterises the market–consumer intersection and build comprehensive relationships with their consumers. Particularly, by adopting a networked approach, brands can provide collectors with privileged and scientific brand knowledge to help them caretake and experience their cherished possessions. Originality/value This study goes beyond the market–consumer intersection and atomistic explanations of collecting phenomena in its investigation and theorises collecting as a relational and iterative “network constellation”. It challenges the subject-oriented ontology of collections literature through explaining how such network interactions inspire collecting behaviours, help collectors maintain and celebrate their cherished collections and change the trajectory of collections pursuits.