A framework for informing consumers on the ecological impact of products at point of sale. Issue 6 (3rd June 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Schaeffer, Satu Elisa; Garza, Sara Elena; Espinosa, Juan Carlos; Urbina, Sandra Cecilia; Nurmi, Petteri; Cruz-Reyes, Laura
• Is Part Of: Behaviour & information technology. Volume 37:Issue 6(2018)
• Page Start: 607
• Page End: 621
• Publication Date: 2018-06-03
• Subjects: Ecological impact -- consumer decision -- augmented reality -- recommender systems; Electronic data processing -- Periodicals; Human engineering -- Periodicals; Information technology -- Periodicals; 303.4833
• DOI: 10.1080/0144929X.2018.1470254
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0144-929X

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The use of intelligent information technologies has the means to provide ecological information just-in-time, thus alleviating consumers' cognitive burden at the time of purchase. We propose a computational framework for supporting consumer awareness of the ecological impact of products they consider purchasing at point of sale. The proposed framework permits consulting multiple information sources through diverse access interfaces, combined with a recommendation engine to score product greenness. We evaluate our approach in terms of usability, performance, and user-influence tests through two conceptual prototypes: an online store and an augmented reality interface to use at physical stores. Our findings suggest that providing ecological information at the time of purchase is able to direct consumers' preference towards products that are ecological and away from products that are not; consumers also express willingness to pay slightly more for ecological products. The experimental results obtained with the interface prototypes are statistically significant.