Product-Service Systems: A customer engagement perspective in the fashion industry. (15th February 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Khitous, Fatima; Urbinati, Andrea; Verleye, Katrien
• Is Part Of: Journal of cleaner production. Volume 336(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-02-15
• Subjects: Product-service system -- Circular business models -- Customer engagement -- Fashion renting -- Fashion swapping -- Second-hand fashion; Factory and trade waste -- Management -- Periodicals; Manufactures -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Déchets industriels -- Gestion -- Périodiques; Usines -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; 628.5
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.130394
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0959-6526

Abstract

Abstract: The current fast fashion model fostering high consumption causes consequential damages to the planet and society, facts that highlight the need to curtail its growth throughout more sustainable solutions. Among these solutions is engaging fashion customers in Product-Service Systems (PSSs), which are oriented towards dematerializing fashion consumption by offering bundles of products and services. Drawing from the social exchange theory, this research sheds light on the benefits customers seek to engage with various coexisting product-oriented and use-oriented PSSs in the fashion industry. A quantitative study among 477 customers in Belgium reveals that customer engagement with PSSs in the fashion industry is a function of the benefits that customers expect to reach (economic, pragmatic, cognitive, personal, hedonic, and societal expectations) and their demographic characteristics (gender and age). Depending on the expected benefits and demographic characteristics, customers were found to engage with different types of PSSs. Accordingly, fashion companies should leverage customers' expected benefits and demographics when developing PSSs and communicating about these PSSs. Highlights: Conceptual framework on relationship between customer expectations and engagement with product-oriented and use-oriented PSSs Customer engagement with PSSs is a function of the benefits that customers expect to reach and their demographic characteristics Impact of customer expectations in terms of economic, pragmatic, cognitive, personal, social, hedonic, and societal benefits on customer engagement depends on type of PSS Survey among 477 customers recruited in Belgium in July 2019