Our findings support the hypothesis that rejects the definition
of gender in shopping in terms of social construction
and biological determinism. Online as Kozinets et al.
(2003, p 92) argues, online allows for ‘considerable room
for individual manoeuvring across an extensive continuum
of gender positions.’ Schau and Muniz (2003, p, 93) also
concluded through their analysis of communities online
that ‘our findings align with the recent theoretical moment
in feminist studies, termed prosthetic feminism, where the
definition of feminine is not biologically driven, nor a social
construction, but rather an intentional manipulation of
the body, like a prosthetic device. The women in our data
wield their online gender performances, including commercial
references, to the service of their own whims.’ We
suggest why and interpret these findings from two perspectives:
(1) misrepresentation and symbolic consumption; and
(2) the impact of technology.