An empirical exploration of the antecedents to consumer acceptance of refurbished digital products

Abstract

Encouraging consumer consumption of refurbished digital products affords the potential to execute sustainability and mitigate e-waste, as refurbished products directly reuse replaced devices and reduce the use of raw materials for new device production. However, consumers’ responses to refurbished digital devices have not been positive overall. This research investigates the factors that influence consumers’ interest in and purchase intentions toward refurbished digital products through a survey. Considering consumers involved in comparison processes between refurbished and brand-new products during purchase decision-making, as well as distinct product characteristics of refurbished digital devices, we examine the impacts of quality concern, discount attractiveness, green consumption value, product inferiority perception, and consumers’ socioeconomic status on the perceived attractiveness of refurbished digital devices, which subsequently affect purchase intention. The results reveal that consumer perceptions of product attractiveness increase purchase intention. Quality concern continues to be a significant factor that reduces product attractiveness. Consumers’ perceptions of product inferiority of refurbished digital devices compared with brand-new devices significantly reduce the attractiveness of refurbished devices. This impact is significantly more substantial for consumers with lower socioeconomic status. The green consumption value and perceived discount attractiveness significantly increase the attractiveness of refurbished digital devices. Analysis examining the effects of the magnitude of discounts indicates that an increase in the discount level diminishes the positive effects of green consumption value and significantly lowers product attractiveness for individuals with lower socioeconomic status, suggesting that effective use of discount instruments in promoting refurbished digital products requires careful strategic planning.