The development of electronic and information technology and the spread of electronic information media has contributed to the formation of a new consumption culture, or a postmodern consumption culture. Postmodern consumption culture emphasizes desire rather than need and want, pursues aesthetic and symbolic values, and embraces signs, codes, and images over substance. This paper investigates the meanings of consumption, consumer behavior, and consumer empowerment in cyberspace. It also attempts to explore the relationship between consumption culture in cyberspace and postmodern consumption culture. My findings imply the following: First of all, e-commerce is one of the most important postmodern phenomena. However, the features of postmodern consumption culture in cyber shopping are only partially visible. Consumers seem to prefer on-off-line composite type consumption, i.e., modern-postmodern mixed consumption styles over online shopping alone. Secondly, the effect of informatization or postmodernity can be found more vividly in cyber consumer movements rather than on e-commerce. Despite the current status of e-commerce markets as weak and underdeveloped, cyber consumer movements have not only gained popularity among the general public, but have also taken progressive steps toward consumer empowerment.
