Reducing Perceived Risk in Refurbished Smartphone Consumption An Empirical Analysis of Information Provision Strategies in the Circular Economy Context

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2024-06-24
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en
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To meet climate targets, there is an urgent need to shift from today’s ‘take-make-waste’ model towards a regenerative economy. Despite the potential financial and environmental benefits of refurbishing, consumers’ purchase intention for refurbished smartphones is low. Earlier research has identified perceived risk as a key barrier to adopting refurbished smartphones. This study empirically tests the risk-reducing strategies proposed by Mugge et al. (2017), focusing on providing information about the refurbishing process, classification systems, quality certifications, and unbiased testimonials. A quantitative study was conducted using an online scenario-based experiment. A survey was distributed among the Dutch population (N= 200). However, the sample is not representative of the Dutch population, indicating that the findings cannot be generalized. The results were analyzed using PROCESS macro for regression-based mediation analysis. The analysis revealed that perceived risk significantly reduces purchase intention. Specifically, performance risk is a major barrier for consumers considering refurbished smartphones. However, the findings show that providing information may not be enough to change consumer perceptions and intentions. This suggests that other factors might be more crucial in influencing purchase intentions for refurbished smartphones. Personal traits such as prior experience, environmental consciousness, and consumer innovativeness seem to play more significant roles.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen
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