Influence of Virtual CSR Co-Creation on the Purchase Intention of Green Products under the Heterogeneity of Experience Value

Abstract

Virtual CSR co-creation activities have become effective strategic tools for enterprises to promote green consumption. The research objective of the current study is to find out whether the experience value acquired by users in the process of virtual CSR co-creation leads to pro-social behavior, namely, the willingness to purchase green products. This empirical study introduces a moderated mediation effect model with virtual CSR co-creation and self-construal as independent variables. Environmental involvement was introduced as a moderator in the research model, whereas the virtual community identity was introduced as a mediator. A scenario simulation experiment was conducted to explore the mechanism of the virtual CSR co-creation on customers’ green product purchase intention. The results indicate that the virtual CSR co-creation promoted the customers’ green product purchase intention. The virtual CSR co-creation and self-construal have an interactive effect on green product purchase intention. Environmental involvement plays a moderating role in the interactive effect. The virtual community identity partially mediates this interactive effect, thus impacting consumers’ green products purchase intentions indirectly. The research findings provide a new practical path for enterprises to develop target strategies to promote green consumption.