Academic-Capital

Organizations that move online often find themselves at a loss in trying to distinguish themselves and create repeat customers in a virtual world where the possibilities and competition are endless. Research helps to solidify a concept called online identity and bonding that can help companies create communities of interconnected customers. When such communities are formed the interaction rate and login rates of the members increased providing more opportunities to sell products and services. Online communities are collections of people with complementary interests who communicate through an online medium (Preece, 2000). As such the people within a community create bonds with each other, interact, and have an impact on each other’s lives. Businesses are constantly seeking ways to develop a customer’s identity with their products and brands. One of the ways they can do this is through developing online communities that take on a life of their own beyond specific offerings.