New clues on contamination and perceived quality of second-hand products

Abstract

This study investigates if contamination perception of personal second-hand products by the previous owner can be used as a clue by consumers to evaluate its perceived quality. Data were collected through an electronic survey with 332 Brazilian consumers. Descriptive, correlational, one-way ANOVA and General Linear Model tests were performed to analyze the data. The findings confirm that contamination perception can alter the perceived quality of second-hand products and, therefore, be considered an extrinsic clue. However, this relation can be moderated by other factors such as socioeconomic condition, value consciousness and the source-subject of contamination. Although the purchasing of second-hand products is becoming more popular, few studies aim to understand how consumers evaluate the perceived quality of these items.