Why consumers have contamination concerns in refurbished personal care products and how to reduce them via design

Refurbishment is a strategy to extend products’ lifetimes. However, refurbished products that are used intimately, such as personal care products, feel uncomfortable to use for consumers because they are perceived to be contaminated. In fifteen in-depth interviews, we explored why consumers have contamination concerns regarding a refurbished...

Contaminated by Its Prior Use: Strategies to Design and Market Refurbished Personal Care Products

Refurbishment is an effective circular strategy to lengthen a product’s lifetime. However, refurbished products that are intimately used, such as personal care products, cause a feeling of unease in consumers because they are perceived to be contaminated. In 15 in-depth online interviews with female users of intense pulsed light (IPL) device...

Design for better comprehension: Design opportunities for facilitating consumers' comprehension of really new products (RNPs)

Developing successful RNPs can bring competitive advantages for companies. However, the success rate of RNPs are relatively low because consumers often feel resistant to adopt them. One reason for consumers’ resistance is their lack of comprehension of RNPs. To facilitate consumers’ comprehension, this paper conceptually discusses the...

Should product innovations look simple or complex? The effects of visual complexity on consumers' comprehension of product innovations

Consumers often have difficulty understanding the really new functions of product innovations. This study explores the potential role of product appearance, and more specifically visual complexity, to improve consumers’ comprehension of product innovations. Because visual complexity is directly determined by designers, it is essential to equip...