Publication Type
Journal Article
Version
publishedVersion
Publication Date
1-2010
Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify and assess the importance of proposed determinants of the growing consumer preference for renting consumer goods, as opposed to the actual transfer of ownership. Design/methodology/approach: Following a qualitative preliminary study and a literature review, six factors are identified as possible determinants of a preference for non-ownership modes of consumption. These are examined in a quantitative study using a sample of 461 members of a German online peer-to-peer sharing network. Hypotheses regarding the proposed determinants are tested using factor analysis and structural equation modelling. Findings: The results show that the demand for non-ownership services is negatively influenced by "possession importance" (the importance that a consumer attaches to full ownership) and positively influenced by "trend orientation" and "convenience orientation". The other proposed determinants "experience orientation", "price consciousness", and "environmentalism" do not appear to influence a preference for non-ownership modes of consumption. Practical implications: Although the renting of goods is an increasingly popular form of consumption, consumers still value ownership. Suppliers should therefore consider offering a mixture of "ownership" and "non-ownership" modes of consumption to their customers. Originality/value: This study complements existing research in this area, which has largely been conceptual in nature, by undertaking an empirical evaluation of the importance of several proposed determinants for non-ownership preference.
Keywords
Consumer goods, consumer behaviour, Internet, retailing, germany
Discipline
Marketing | Organizational Behavior and Theory
Research Areas
Marketing
Publication
Managing Service Quality
Volume
20
Issue
2
First Page
176
Last Page
191
ISSN
0960-4529
Identifier
10.1108/09604521011027598
Publisher
Emerald
Citation
MOELLER, Sabine and WITTKOWSHI, Kristina.
The burdens of ownership: Reasons for preferring renting. (2010). Managing Service Quality. 20, (2), 176-191.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/lkcsb_research/7592
Copyright Owner and License
Publisher
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Additional URL
https://doi.org/10.1108/09604521011027598