Microsoft Word 2007 ichrie conference Proceedings Final-Final 06-06-07. doc

participants had different ages
or other socioeconomic compositions. Evidences for external validation should be 
provided by using other samples for future research.
Another limitation is that this study only concentrates on the experience based on the general service 
delivery system instead of narrowing down one specific service category such as lodging industry. Given the 
exploratory nature of the research for measuring experiences in a standardized way, this approach may be justified 
for this study. But, applicability of the experience measures should be evaluated from applications to diverse service 
industries. In particular, an exploratory study should begin to identify constructs appropriate to hospitality service 
experiences, and then apply to other segments of businesses. For example, Gilmore and Pine (2002) explained how 
hospitality operations can differentiate their offerings from those of other competitors by managing guests’ 
experiences, and why selling services is not enough to remain competitive. They argued that in the hospitality and 
lodging industry, almost any service can be leveraged to stage a more compelling experience. They used the simple 
examples of wake-up calls and shuttle-bus services to show how hospitality operators can create a positive 
memorable experience for each guest. 
This present study is limited to identify dimensions most relevant to enhance a consumer’s buying 
experience in general. Future study is required to take a holistic approach to identify variables representing 
memorable elements. Consequently, future researchers need to identify the link between four processes of a 
consumer buying process, relative to their hospitality purchases to follow up with Knutson and Beck (2006)’s study 
identifying four major components of a consumer buying process.
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