Second-hand online stores: an examination of consumers’ purchase behaviour

Abstract

ABSTRACT Today, the determinants of second-hand shopping are not comprehensive and are limited to physical stores; and most of the previous research has largely ignored the factors that motivate the online purchase of second-hand products. Considering the great accessibility of second-hand products through online retailers and stores, we will examine why consumers purchase second-hand products online; and further, whether price consciousness moderates the purchase behaviour of used products online.In this context, the purpose of the present research is to examine what factors determine consumers’ purchase behaviour of second-hand products online; and further analyse the moderating role of consumer price consciousness in online second-hand purchase behaviour. For this purpose, based on the second-hand shopping motivation theory a conceptual model of second-hand online purchase behaviour is proposed and empirically tested on a sample of405consumersthrough Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). Findings show that consumers are driven mostly by environmental motivations when purchasing second-hand products online, followed by trust towards the online store and economic factors. Interestingly, ethical motives exert a negative impact on second-hand purchase behaviour, which could be perceived by individuals as other kind of overconsumption. In addition, results indicate the moderating influence of consumer price consciousness on the purchase intention of second-hand products online. This study extends the literature on second-hand shopping through an empirical examination of the factors influencing consumer purchase behaviour of used products through online stores.