FEATURES OF UNMANNED SALES STANDS AS MEDIA FOR CONNECTING FARMERS AND CONSUMERS COMPARED WITH MANNED SALES STANDS

Abstract

 In order to clarify the characteristics and challenges of unmanned sales stands a medium for connecting farmers and consumers, the consumer surveys of the unmanned sales stands and the manned sales stands of roadside stations of rural villages, which were opened urban area, were analyzed and compared. In the survey, consumers were asked about their impressions of the sales stands, their intentions to visit, and their intentions to connect with farmers.

 We found that by providing stimuli that include a function that allows farmers and consumers to exchange their thoughts, ideas, and feelings as messages, unmanned sales stands can be a medium that increases interest in farmers, conveys messages to farmers and makes them find them interesting, and increases the intentions to visit and connect. However, we found that the challenges of this unmanned sales booth were the inability to see the panels, the small percentage of consumers who want to exchange thoughts and ideas with farmers, and low interest in value co-creation, and that the design needed to improve these issues.