An empirical investigation to explore green consumers segmentation through consumer innovativeness: an Indian state perspective

What the paper says

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore the segmentation of green consumers based on the unique personality trait of consumer innovativeness (CI). Five determinants of CI: opinion leadership, product involvement, price sensitivity, venturesomeness and need for uniqueness have been used as predictors for clustering and segmenting green consumers. Design/methodology/approach A non-probabilistic approach with a purposive sampling technique was used to select a sample size of 690 from the target population, and an unsupervised machine learning clustering technique consisting of a K-means algorithm and distance function was used to classify the cases into distinct clusters. Findings The study explored four distinct segments of green consumers on the basis of determinants of CI: enthusiast (male, younger individuals and risk takers), influencers (middle-aged and opinion leaders), image-lovers (male, older and self-identity lovers) and apathetic (middle aged and passive). The validity of the proposed clusters was also acknowledged statistically using the ANOVA method among homogenous clusters. Research limitations/implications The small sample size and internal validity of the proposed clusters were statistically examined. External validity could also be assessed by considering cultural, social and economic aspects that were not included in the study due to resource constraints. The four segments identified in the study are based solely on the major determinants of CI. Incorporating other behavioral dimensions, such as lifestyle and attitude, could strengthen the results. Practical implications The present study depicts both theoretical and managerial implications in the form of a new typology as explored for green consumer segments and highlights the design of a green marketing mix to achieve successful diffusion and adoption of green products among green consumers. Social implications This study promotes sustainable consumption by identifying green consumer segments based on innovativeness, aiding targeted campaigns and formulating policies to encourage eco-friendly behavior. It also supports green innovation by highlighting early adopters and fostering cultural and economic shifts toward sustainability. Originality/value Despite extensive research on demographic, environmental, psychographic, attitudinal, belief and situational factors as bases of segmentation criteria; the present study first-of-its-type to use consumer innovativeness (CI) and its determinants in segmenting the “green consumers” for more meaningful insights and managerial applications.