Product Service Systems Users and Harley Davidson Riders: The Importance of Consumer Identity in the Diffusion of Sustainable Consumption Solutions

Abstract

SummaryThis article sets out an approach to researching sociocultural aspects of product service systems (PSSs) consumption in consumer markets. PSSs are relevant to industrial ecology given that they may form part of the mix of innovations that move society toward more‐sustainable material and energy flows. The article uses two contrasting case studies drawing on ethnographic analysis: Harley Davidson motorcycles and the Zipcar car club. The first is a case of consumption involving ownership; the second is one of consumption without ownership. The analysis draws on consumer culture theory to explicate the sociocultural, experiential, symbolic, and ideological aspects of these case studies, focusing on product ownership. The article shows that ownership of Harley Davidson motorcycles enables riders to identify with a brand community and to define themselves. Owners appropriate their motorcycles through customization. In contrast, Zipcar users resist the company's attempts to involve them in a brand community, see use of car sharing as a temporary fix, and even fear contamination from shared use of cars. We conclude that iconic products such as Harley Davidson motorcycles create emotional attachment and can challenge PSS propositions. But we also suggest that somewhat standardized products may present similar difficulties. Knowing more about sociocultural aspects of PSSs may help designers overcome these difficulties.