Why buy new when one can share? Exploring collaborative consumption motivations for consumer goods

The notion of collaborative consumption or sharing economy—where consumers share access to ownership of properties such as cars, clothes and accommodations—has gained tremendous popularity in recent years. Development of communication technologies and peer‐to‐peer communities has enabled consumers to coordinate sharing activities through various online platforms. Collaborative consumption involves sharing of both intangible (e.g., music, space and car rides) and tangible assets (e.g., household items, clothes and furniture). Activities such as renting, swapping, trading and purchasing/selling used consumer goods are included in the latter. Despite increasing academic attention on collaborative consumption, little research has been pursued in the context of consumer goods. The nature of consumption for tangible goods can be entirely different from that of intangible goods because people can exercise greater control over tangible goods, which results in greater psychological ownership than that for intangible goods. To address this gap, the objective of this study is to develop a scale that examines consumer motivations for collaborative consumption of consumer goods. Following Churchill's paradigm of scale development, the procedures of scale item generation, purification and validation were conducted via in‐depth interviews, literature review and surveys. The study identified five underlying dimensions of collaborative consumption of consumer goods: concern‐for‐sustainability, social, variety‐seeking, fun and cost‐saving. Study findings and implications are discussed, and future research avenues are suggested.     

The Cinderella moment: Exploring consumers' motivations to engage with renting as collaborative luxury consumption mode

Past literature argued that the purchase of luxury goods is driven by people's motivation to conform or fit into our economic and social system. In this study, the authors focus on a new aspect of consumption, that is, renting instead of purchasing luxury goods, backed by the emerging opportunities of sharing economy platforms. Drawing upon the analysis of spontaneous consumers' online communications (in the form of tweets), this study aims to investigate the motivations to engage with luxury garment renting within a collaborative consumption context. To this end, a series of automatic content analyses, via two studies, were conducted using the tweets posted with respect to the Run the Runway collaborative consumption platform. Results demonstrate consumers' increased willingness to show their social status through renting rather than owning luxurious apparel based on five main motivators (need to wear new clothes for a special event, inspirations created by the products/brands, possibility to explore a new way of consuming luxury goods, need to make more sustainable choices, and to increase the life cycle of each luxury product). The implications of these findings are discussed, while they pave the way for future research in collaborative consumption of luxury retailing.     

When social intrusiveness depletes customer value: A balanced perspective on the agency of simultaneous sharers in a commercial sharing experience

A major pattern of non‐ownership consumption is “simultaneous sharing,” whereby customers simultaneously share the same resource in either a virtual or physical setting. However, little research examines the actual value that consumers derive from such a group‐based commercial experience. By integrating the literature on customer value and the psychology of autonomy, this study proposes a theoretical model of the simultaneous sharing experience that balances the benefits and social intrusiveness of sharer agency. Based on data that were collected from members of a collaborative platform dedicated to flat sharing and analyzed through structural equation modeling, social intrusiveness is found to be a pervasive phenomenon that strongly impairs customer satisfaction, whereas communal benefits, as reflected by enjoyment, companionship, informational guidance, and emotional support, enhance it. As a major antecedent of both communal benefits and intrusiveness, perceived homophily nourishes satisfaction, however, customer age may reduce the buffering influence of perceived homophily on intrusiveness, whereas an additional positive effect on communal benefits is associated with the sharer social integrative motive. We discuss the implications of this study for customer experience and commercial sharing consumption research.     

You are what you can access: Sharing and collaborative consumption online

Sharing is a phenomenon as old as humankind, while collaborative consumption and the “sharing economy” are phenomena born of the Internet age. This paper compares sharing and collaborative consumption and finds that both are growing in popularity today. Examples are given and an assessment is made of the reasons for the current growth in these practices and their implications for businesses still using traditional models of sales and ownership. The old wisdom that we are what we own, may need modifying to consider forms of possession and uses that do not involve ownership.     

The sharing economy: Your business model's friend or foe?

The sharing economy, a rising pattern in consumption behavior that is based on accessing and reusing products to utilize idle capacity, presents both tremendous possibilities and significant threats for emerging as well as incumbent businesses. As of today, it is unclear whether this economy is merely another ephemeral trend in consumption or whether we are experiencing a real shift in how goods are accessed, distributed, and used. Furthermore, little is known about how existing business models are affected by the sharing economy. These two issues represent the central motivation for the development of this article. Consequently, an examination of why the sharing economy has the potential to produce a long-term transformation in consumption behavior is followed by a consideration of how this change might affect companies’ business models. Based on a renowned business model framework and a variety of current illustrative examples, we propose central questions managers must ask themselves in order to be prepared to respond to changes brought about by this new economic trend.     

Introducing a three‐tier sustainability framework to examine bike‐sharing system use: An extension of the technology acceptance model

There is growing interest among the general public and researchers in the sharing economy, because of its profound impact on individuals, businesses and governments today. A particular kind of the sharing economy is bike‐sharing systems which provide benefits for users, societies and the environment, suggesting sustainability could play an important role in their use. With this in mind, the purpose of this paper is to examine bike‐sharing users through a three‐tier framework, where sustainability is considered at multiple tiers, that is, micro (personality), mezzo (relations) and macro (system) tiers. In line with this proposition, the conceptual model is an extension of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), representing factors at the macro tier, that is, perceived sustainable usefulness and ease‐of‐use, influenced by bike quality. The effect of sustainable subjective norms on loyalty plays out at the mezzo tier, while sustainable extraversion is linked to loyalty at the micro tier. The model was tested on a sample of bike‐sharing system users. The results show that bike quality positively influences perceived sustainable usefulness, but not ease‐of‐use; however, ease‐of‐use positively influences loyalty among users, while usefulness does not. In addition, sustainable subjective norms and sustainable extraversion have a significant positive effect on user bike‐sharing system loyalty. The findings offer a range of implications for the providers of bike‐sharing systems, municipalities and governments which are promoting alternative means of transportation to reduce the carbon footprint.     

Internal and external barriers to eco‐conscious apparel acquisition

Apparel consumption is a contributing cause of environmental change, and environmental integrity requires the encouragement of eco‐conscious apparel acquisition. Unfortunately, among consumers, there is limited engagement in this behaviour. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to expand the knowledge base of eco‐conscious apparel consumption and question the limited participation by identifying barriers that constrain consumers. This study used a qualitative approach to collect and analyse data from 26 eco‐conscious consumers. Data collection for the study occurred through semi‐structured interviews. Results indicate that consumers find it difficult to engage in eco‐conscious apparel acquisition on a consistent basis because a number of barriers stand in the way. These barriers include knowledge and attitudes about environmentally preferable apparel, availability of environmentally preferable apparel, economic resources, retail environments and societal norms. Consequently, the implication is that strategies intending to encourage eco‐conscious apparel acquisition should include a focus on diminishing these barriers.     

The fashion‐conscious behaviours of mature female consumers

Under‐appreciation of mature consumers as a numerous and comparatively wealthy market segment has resulted in not only lost revenues for business, but also lost consumption and service opportunities for the elderly. In response to expressed needs for more research into actual and desired consumption by older consumers, this study examined the apparel and shopping preferences of mature women in America. Independent living residents were surveyed concerning fashion consciousness, fashion information sources and shopping behaviours. Young and mature consumers’ reactions to female apparel ensembles were compared. Mature subjects purchased apparel for pleasure or need, but less for conformity. Decisions were influenced more by fit and comfort than by fashion, despite suggestions that dressing stylishly was important. New fashions were encountered via catalogue illustrations, social gatherings and window displays. Subjects high in fashion consciousness had greater financial and social involvement with fashion, greater chronological‐to‐cognitive age differences and larger clothing budgets. Young and mature consumers’ responses to apparel illustrations differed significantly. As the mature market expands, attention to age‐divergent definitions of fashion (such as those based upon admiration of comfort) will determine the success of apparel businesses. Assessment of cognitive age will facilitate identification of those mature consumers most predisposed toward fashion consumption.     

How social distance affects the intention and behavior of collaborative consumption: A study based on online car-hailing service

In recent years, advances in mobile communications technology have enabled collaborative consumption or product sharing between consumers on a large scale. Unlike traditional consumption, collaborative consumption is based on collaboration among individuals, so that the decision-making mechanisms of individual consumers may be different from those in traditional consumption scenarios. The current study focuses on how the social distance between consumers and drivers affects collaborative consumption intention in the case of online car-hailing services. In this study, the theory of planned behavior (TPB) is used as the foundational framework, and we innovatively add the concept of social distance to the TPB to form a new, and integrated model. We test the model based on data collected from 315 online car-hailing users. The results shows that behavioral attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control, positively influence collaborative consumption intention and behavior. More interestingly, we find that social distance has both direct and indirect impacts on collaborative consumption intention: The greater the social distance, the lower the collaborative consumption intention. Moreover, social distance also moderates the influence of subjective norms and perceived behavioral control on collaborative consumption intention. To be specific, the influence of subjective norms and perceived behavioral control on collaborative consumption intention is weakened when consumers perceive less social distance. The results suggest that the integrated model has a stronger explanatory power on collaborative consumption behavior. This study enhances the traditional TPB model and offers insight into promoting collaborative consumption in the context of the sharing economy.     

Many-to-many exchange without money: why people share their resources

This paper extends our knowledge of the growing movement of collaborative consumption, or people sharing with others, in a collective shift away from the outright purchase of things. The focus of the study is on the sharing of land, one of our most widely held and debt-laden assets, for food production, a fundamental human need that has not been the topic of other collaborative consumption research. The research presents a netnographic study of the motivations to participate in Landshare, a non-profit scheme operating in the UK, Canada, and Australia, which “connects growers to people with land to share.” The study finds there are significant social belonging and other benefits stemming from collaborative consumption and, in the case of Landshare, a new finding not previously reported in consumer behaviour research, of physical and mental health benefits. This expands the study of exchange as a consumer-to-consumer phenomenon, where no money changes hands.     

Shared consumption and its determinants: A systematic literature review and future research agenda

Shared consumption is rapidly evolving as a potential alternative consumption paradigm and hence gaining increased scholarly attention. In the last 5 years, there has been an exponential increase in research focusing on the adoption of shared consumption. There is a pressing need to consolidate and reconcile the resultant insights, which calls for an appropriate review study. Accordingly, this study aims to systematically review the extant literature on the adoption of shared consumption, synthesize the body of knowledge and provide a comprehensive understanding of this emerging consumption mode. Following the SPAR-4-SLR review protocol, this systematic review draws upon the theoretical guidance provided by the theory of consumption values, innovation resistance theory and value-attitude-behaviour hierarchy to synthesize 331 research articles. Bibliometric analysis was employed to reveal the research trend, most prominent journals, authors, articles and countries of research. A thematic analysis was carried out to synthesize the knowledge of the literature corpus. The results suggest that while economic incentives commonly drive individuals to participate in shared consumption, social incentives significantly influence participation in a peer-to-peer setting. Perceived risks (physical, privacy, safety and security) deter participation, while trust plays a vital role in adoption. It has also unveiled some inconclusive relationships in the literature, such as the effect of environmental considerations and materialism on sharing intention. The analysis shows that the providers' perspective has received less attention than the consumers. Further, it is important to empirically validate the findings in domains that transcend the extant industry specificity of studies. The salient observations were structured in an integrated model capturing the drivers and inhibitors of the adoption of the phenomenon. Finally, based on the TCCM framework, pertinent future research directions have been elaborated.     

Consumption smoothing,risk sharing and financial integration

Theories indicate that financial integration should allow economies to better share risk and thus improve consumption smoothing. We construct two widely used price‐based measures of financial integration (i.e., the standard correlation and the adjusted R‐squared) and test whether consumption volatility declines as international equity markets become more integrated. Pooled and panel estimates for three different groups of countries (i.e., G7, G20 and EU) provide no significant evidence of improved consumption smoothing as financial integration rises. This evidence is supported by a battery of robustness checks and holds over time. Taken together, our results suggest that convergence in international equity prices does not necessarily represent the channel through which risk‐sharing opportunities arise or consumption smoothing improves.     

The impact of anti‐consumption on consumer well‐being

Although consumption is a symbol of an individual's socio‐economic status, an increasing number of individuals voluntarily prefer to consume less. This phenomenon is called anti‐consumption and it mainly occurs in developed countries where consumption levels have reached excessive amounts. One of the main aims of individuals following an anti‐consumption lifestyle is to increase their own well‐being. However, researchers have yet to investigate whether anti‐consumption, indeed, leads to greater positive consumer well‐being. Hence, through this paper this gap in research is addressed by first deriving a conceptual framework and hypotheses, followed by developing an anti‐consumption scale, and then by testing the impact of anti‐consumption on consumer well‐being. The insights of our analysis highlight the implications for both academia and consumers.     

Exploring consumer attitudes to online collaborative consumption: A typology of collaborative consumer profiles

Online collaborative consumption enhances peer networks, members of which communicate, collaborate, and even deliver services to one another via digital sharing platforms. Despite the tremendous increase in collaborative consumption, due in large part to the development of the Internet, the reality of the economic and social movements that underpin this trend is much less visible. Of course, not all consumers seek collaborative consumption or interact through online platforms. Using a qualitative approach, this paper aims to investigate motivational factors and barriers against collaborative consumption and to establish a typology of collaborative consumer profiles, identifying the most suitable type of online sharing platforms for each profile. The findings reveal the following collaborative consumer profiles: committed, pragmatists, intermittent, and skeptical, each demonstrating different preferences for the different type of online sharing platform.     

Factors motivating male consumers’ eco‐friendly apparel acquisition in the South African emerging market

The necessity of pro‐environmental apparel behaviour is to date a neglected concept in the local South African apparel industry. This study focuses on male consumers’ underlying motivation and intent to acquire apparel in an eco‐friendly manner. The research hypotheses and framework for this study are based on the Norm‐Activation Theory and the Theory of Planned Behaviour to clarify underlying motivational factors that contribute to pro‐environmental apparel acquisition. Pro‐environmental approaches were conceptualized as consumers’ purposive reduction of the amount of apparel acquired as well as the evaluation and selection of apparel based on pro‐environmental attributes. A quantitative, cross‐sectional survey approach was used for explanatory research purposes. Male consumers (18 years and older, n = 305) were reached by means of non‐probability, purposive sampling. Respondents completed online and paper‐based questionnaires that included adapted scale items for use in the local context. Results suggest that respondents are aware of the environmental consequences of their apparel behaviour, which then ultimately influences their behavioural intent. In contrast to studies conducted abroad, social and moral norms did not significantly influence their decisions to acquire apparel in a pro‐environmental manner. Respondents’ attitudes and self‐efficacy (i.e. a dimension of perceived behavioural control) contributed to their pro‐environmental intent. Yet, controllability (another dimension of perceived behavioural control) was not a significant predictor of intent and warrants further empirical research. The findings of this study substantiate important recommendations for the development of intervention strategies to promote pro‐environmental apparel behaviour in emerging market contexts such as South Africa.     

市场销售信息共享一定有利吗？——基于牛鞭效应视角的分析

信息共享经常被认为是消除牛鞭效应的有效途径,但也有人对此持相反观点。信息化至当前阶段,海量的市场销售信息能够更容易地被收集、处理,而共享这类关键和常见的信息究竟能否减弱牛鞭效应尚未得到专门验证,文章对此进行理论分析和实验研究。研究结果显示,供应链内市场销售信息共享将使供应链整体层面减少订单波动,也能减少部分相邻层级间订单波动增加的幅度,并且相比下游企业,供应链内市场销售信息的共享将能更多地减少上游企业订单的波动。另外,文章对市场销售信息的利用过程展开了探讨,发现了一些有趣的规律。研究结果说明共享市场销售信息对于供应链牛鞭效应的减弱是有显著作用的,且对于不同层级企业的作用效果有所差异,这是对理论研究的推进,同时又有着直接的实践借鉴意义。     

Does green morality lead to collaborative consumption behavior toward online collaborative redistribution platforms? Evidence from emerging markets shows the asymmetric roles of pro-environmental self-identity and green personal norms

The collaborative consumption toward online collaborative redistribution platforms can potentially ease sustainability problems. Although it has attracted the attention from academics and practitioners, research on its determinants and influencing mechanism is limited. This study develops an integrated theoretical framework to explore the impact of green morality and platform quality as potentially essential yet previously unexamined antecedents of collaborative consumption behavior toward online collaborative redistribution platforms. A questionnaire survey was conducted in a crucial emerging market, and consumer responses were assessed using a structural equation model. The results reveal that the green morality motive (i.e., pro-environment self-identity and green personal norms) and platform quality are determinants of collaborative consumption behavior. Second, platform quality moderate the relationship between green personal norms and attitude. Accordingly, the asymmetric roles of pro-environmental self-identity and green personal norms as green morality components are revealed. Third, attitude and intention play mediating roles in the relationship between collaborative consumption actions and antecedents. Finally, implications for both research and practice are discussed.     

The heuristic‐systemic model of sustainability stewardship: facilitating sustainability values,beliefs and practices with corporate social responsibility drives and eco‐labels/indices

Using a framework from the heuristic‐systematic model and the value‐belief‐norm (VBN) theory, this study tests consumers’ systematic conjunction of sustainability values, beliefs and practices, and examines the heuristic influence of sustainability stewardship on the consumers’ VBN framework. In this study, sustainability stewardship within the textile and apparel industry refers to approaches that can facilitate the corporate social responsible (CSR) drive and eco‐labels/indices in corporate sustainability practices. Data from 239 US college students were analyzed using a structural equation modeling method. The findings confirmed that only the CSR drive is significant as heuristic sustainability stewardship in facilitating the consumer's systematic process in the VBN framework, while eco‐labels/indices do not moderate consumers’ sustainable practices. In particular, the current CSR drives in the textile and apparel industry strengthen consumers’ values in the altruistic, self‐enhancement and biospheric dimensions, and, further, lead to the sustainability practices of eco‐citizenship, green consumption and green product purchasing, through the mediation of proenvironmental belief. Comprehending these dynamics can empower marketers and researchers to devise pertinent ideas and practical applications of sustainability stewardship to academia and to the textiles and apparel industry.     

From quantity to quality: understanding slow fashion consumers for sustainability and consumer education

There is a growing interest in slow fashion, a production method which emphasizes quality as a way of achieving sustainability in the fashion industry. In order to develop a sophisticated and targeted marketing strategy, this study aimed to identify potential slow fashion consumer segments and understand their characteristics. The final 221 completed responses from a sample of nationwide U.S. consumers were analyzed by cluster analysis. Based on consumer orientation to slow fashion, four consumer groups were identified: Highly‐involved in slow fashion group, Conventional group, Exclusivity oriented group and Low‐involved in slow fashion group. The characteristics of each group were profiled according to personal values, apparel consumption behaviours and demographics. With distinctive profiles of each group, different marketing strategies were suggested to address the needs of each group effectively. This study extends academic understanding of slow fashion in consumer perspectives, and provides important perspectives for consumer education on apparel consumption.     

Good green mothers consuming their way through pregnancy: roles of environmental identities and information seeking in coping with the transition

We explore the consumption experiences of women who opt for an environmentally conscious approach to pregnancy. Our findings reveal that environmentally conscious mothers conduct extensive scientific research about the products that they purchase during pregnancy and the associated risks of using such products. They believe that their efforts to find and process such information make them experts on what is best for their babies’ health and proclaim some micromanaging powers in an uncontrollable environment. Alas, consumption decisions are simultaneously coupled with tensions between (1) needing to make informed choices and being overwhelmed with information; (2) feeling confident about seeking consumption information and lacking the confidence to share it; and (3) pursuing external expertise and resorting to internal instincts. Thus, although consumption is often perceived as a helpful coping mechanism when transitioning to new life roles, we find that it also contributes to the complexity of such transitional situations.