Topic C.4: Consumer acceptance of products from renewable resources and complementary services

In the B2B domain, marketing processes (see topic C.3) depend strongly on private consumers’ acceptance of products. Their willingness to buy and their purchasing behavior regarding products from renewable resources should be investigated within this topic. Owing to fluctuations in renewable resources’ quality and availability, the products made from renewable resources could also be subject to quality fluctuations. Innovative environment-friendly products are also more expensive than conventional products, requiring a systematic analysis of the benefit categories with which to explain product acceptance. Since the benefit components of various network partners are assessed individually and information exchange can occur across multiple interfaces, leading to possible information loss and falsification, these peculiarities have to be taken into consideration in the search for a solution.

Consequently, the determinants of renewable resource products’ acceptance, such as WPC, are researched in this topic. This topic specifically examines the effects on certain products’ perception levels, willingness to pay, intentions to buy, the supplier image, and on loyalty aspects. In addition, one can differentiate between products where consumers do not immediately notice that these materials have been used (e.g., MDF boards in kitchen cabinets), and products that are obviously made from renewable resources (e.g., parquet, solid wood furniture, and wall cladding). Initially, the effects resulting from the supplier’s image may seem paramount, but the direct effects on the product perception should be investigated subsequently. The question regarding the effect that renewable resource utilization has on quality and price perception is particularly important. In addition, the more abstract consumer-perceived benefit categories could be researched, such as innovation and environmental impact (e.g., the utilization of non-timber materials such as glue, varnishes, and wood protection agents, see topic B.7). The difference between the target groups regarding the benefit categories’ meaning and impact is also of interest. Insights into specific benefit categories’ effect on the acceptance of products from renewable resources could help develop and market suitable products from by-products and cascade utilization. Results from specific target groups could provide valuable indications regarding how the different relevant markets could be tapped.

Some preliminary studies deal with the acceptance of new products and technologies (Zielke et al., 2008), the perception of price and quality (Zielke, 2010), as well as aspects of sustainability in commerce (Wiese et al., 2009). The Tracking & Tracing topic (see B.5) suggests some points of departure through its relationship with quality assurance. Consumer behavior research provides the theoretical basis for the analysis (e.g., research on acceptance, image, and price behavior). Methodologically, approaches to conjoint analysis, variance analysis methods for the evaluation of experimental design, and, where applicable, structural equation models should specifically be further developed.