Refurbishment can extend the lifetime of an electronic product and reduce its environmental footprint. However, consumers often perceive refurbished electronics as less attractive than new ones, resulting in lower purchase intentions. While prior research has identified several factors that influence consumer choices regarding refurbished electronics, we lack understanding of the interrelations between the different factors related to the consumer, product and context. To model the complex interplay of the factors involved in the intention to purchase refurbished speakers and earbuds, we conducted a survey with 1801 participants. A network encompassing both product categories revealed that the most central factors influencing the intention to purchase refurbished electronics were the product category, the perceived risk and the perception that refurbished electronics are uncomfortable to use because they remind the consumer of their prior user (territorial contamination). For refurbished earbuds, participants' concerns about territorial and hygienic contamination had the strongest negative relations to purchase intentions. For refurbished speakers, the purchase intentions were most negatively related to their perceived risk and positively related to their financial attractiveness. Hence, strategies aiming to enhance the consumer acceptance of refurbished electronics should aim at reducing risks and contamination concerns. Potential strategies to reduce the risks associated with refurbished electronics are discussed.@en

Global warming will exceed 1.5-2°C during the 21st century unless greenhouse gas emissions are heavily reduced in the next 30 years. The average carbon footprint of a person living in the European Union amounted to 6.7 tons of CO2 in 2019, of which 70% is related to the way we live, move and consume. The production and use of electronics, is an important factor in the environmental impact of consumption. A key strategy to reduce an electronic product’s environmental footprint is to extend its lifetime through refurbishment. Refurbished products are collected after being used, tested, cleaned, and restored into an acceptable state, and subsequently, they are resold. Yet, lowering the environmental impact of consumption by using refurbished products requires that refurbished products are acquired instead of new ones. However, refurbished products are not as desirable to consumers as new products, which has the consequence that they have lower purchase intentions and are willing to pay less for them. The aim of this thesis is to understand consumer acceptance of refurbished products and how designers can enhance their desirability. Thus far, marketing strategies, aiming to improve consumer adoption of refurbished products have focused on minimizing the risks associated with refurbished products and underlining their benefits. Refurbished products are, for example, often offered at a lower price than new products and with a warranty. A central issue of these marketing strategies is that they are peripheral to the product, are not applicable to all product categories, and are not appropriate for all consumers. While they can improve the trade-off for refurbished products, they do not help to keep the product at its highest material and economic value. In this dissertation, we, therefore, explore the main research question: how can designers enhance consumer acceptance of refurbished products by design?@en

This research investigates how a durable and attractive product appearance, the perceived contamination risk, and consumers' environmental concern influence the purchase intentions of refurbished products. Consumers often have lower purchase intentions of refurbished products because they associate them with lower durability and fear that they are contaminated with a former user's traces. The environmental friendliness and lower price incentivise consumers to purchase refurbished products. Limitations of prior research are that it has focused strongly on qualitative research, and a comparison to the factors influencing the adoption of new products is lacking. This research contributes by investigating which factors significantly influence the purchase intentions of refurbished products. It additionally aims to uncover how these factors differ from those influencing purchase intentions of new products. In an online survey, we exposed 351 participants to a blender or headphones and informed them that product was either new or refurbished. Two versions for each product were created to vary in terms durability and attractiveness. Participants rated multi-item constructs on products' durability, attractiveness, contamination risk, their environmental concern and indicated their purchase intentions. The results indicate that product-related factors, such as durability and attractiveness, are important across the different phases of a circular life. Other factors, such as the contamination risk and the consumers' environmental concern, however, play an essential role in the decision to purchase refurbished products specifically. Underlining the cleanness of refurbished products and that they are a sustainable choice could be worthwhile strategies for increasing the desirability of refurbished products. @en

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 living in the Netherlands, we explored why consumers have contamination concerns regarding an IPL device and proposed strategies to decrease these. Participants felt that refurbished personal care products with signs of wear-and-tear were a riskier choice and expected that the device would malfunction, have a shorter product lifetime, and would be contaminated due to the previous use. Based on the location and amount of wear-and-tear, participants made inferences on how the prior user had treated the device. While light wear-and-tear indicated normal use, heavy wear-and-tear was interpreted as a sign of bad treatment by the previous user. To keep refurbished personal care products at their highest value, we suggest five design strategies to minimize contamination concerns by designing a product that smells and looks hygienic after multiple lifecycles: (1) using colors that evoke associations with hygiene, (2) making signs of wear-and-tear less visible, (3) using smooth (cleanable) materials, (4) minimizing the number of split lines in the product, and (5) giving refurbished products a clean product smell. For refurbished personal care products with signs of wear-and-tear that cannot be eliminated, we propose mitigating consumers’ contamination concerns with marketing strategies, such as fostering a good brand image, offering refurbished products at a lower price, with an extended warranty, and underlining expert check-ups and standards during refurbishment.@en

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 Intense-Pulsed-Light device and how to decrease them. Participants expected refurbished personal care products with wear-and-tear to malfunction, to have a shorter product lifetime and to be contaminated. Participants’ inferences differed depending on the location and amount of wear-and-tear. To keep refurbished personal care products at their highest value, we suggest five design strategies to minimize contamination concerns by designing a product that smells and looks hygienic after multiple lifecycles: 1. Using color to evoking associations with hygiene, 2. making wear-and-tear less visible, 3. using smooth materials, 4. minimizing the number of split lines, and 5. a clean product smell.@en

Refurbishment is an impactful strategy to extend product lifetimes. However, consumers believe that refurbished products are contaminated with traces of prior use. These traces can be of aesthetic (e.g., scratches) or functional nature (e.g., lower battery capacity). This research explores design strategies to improve consumer adoption of refurbished products by reducing contamination. In a choice-based conjoint-experiment, 785 participants were exposed to refurbished headphones varying in features related to contamination, warranty and price. Results showed that most consumers value no wear-and-tear, and if parts touching the skin (ear-cushions) are renewed during the refurbishment process; this is more important than the reduced price or warranty. Depending on the consumer group, other contamination-reducing strategies were of great influence: While some consumer groups highly valued that signs-of-prior-use are eliminated through an as-new appearance, others preferred refurbished products without functional wear-and-tear. Design strategies how to deal with contamination issues during multiple life cycles are discussed@en

Refurbishment is an effective strategy to extend product lifetimes in a circular economy. However, consumers believe that refurbished products are contaminated with traces of prior use, which can be indicated by the appearance (e.g., scratches) or functionality (e.g., lower battery capacity) of refurbished products. This research explores strategies to improve consumer adoption of refurbished products by reducing contamination. In a choice-based conjoint analysis, 785 participants were exposed to refurbished headphones varying in features related to contamination, warranty, and price. We tested three contamination-reducing strategies, including (1). Communication about the clean object state, (2). Eliminating signs of use (aesthetic and functional wear-and-tear) and (3). Renewing parts that touch the skin (e.g., ear-cushions). Additionally, we analysed whether different consumer groups are driven by different attributes of refurbished products. Results showed that most consumers value refurbished products that show no signs of wear-and-tear and that have parts touching the skin renewed during the refurbishment process. These attributes are even more important than the reduced price or warranty, even though these are frequently used to market refurbished products. Depending on the consumer group, other contamination-reducing strategies were of great influence. While some consumer groups highly valued that signs of prior use are eliminated through an as-new appearance, others preferred refurbished products without functional wear-and-tear. In conclusion, four design strategies to deal with contamination during multiple life cycles of refurbished products are discussed.

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The prior use and age make refurbished products a less desirable option because they are perceived to be of lower quality, to have a reduced performance and a less attractive appearance. This research investigates one strategy on how to enhance the appearance of refurbished products and thereby encourage circular consumption via refurbishment. In 21 in-depth interviews, we explore whether embodying refurbished products in a timeless design can serve as a potential strategy to influence consumer acceptance of refurbished products. Specifically, we examined two design styles that were proposed as timeless: the neo-retro design style, which evokes nostalgia and benefits from associations with the past, and the simplistic design style, that is independent of cultural or time-related cues. Our findings provided qualitative support that the neo-retro and the simplistic design styles can improve consumers' evaluations of refurbished products. Both design styles were considered to be timeless and elicited favorable associations in consumers. While refurbished products, following a neo-retro design style, evoked positive associations with old products, such as feelings of nostalgia and the good quality of the past, simplistic products benefited from associations with durability and associations with high-quality brands.

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This research explores a new pathway to improve consumer acceptance of refurbished products that is inspired by the positive evocations of other used products, such as antique products. Currently, the prior use and age of refurbished products make them a less desirable option because they are perceived to be of lower quality, to have a reduced performance and to be out of fashion more quickly than new products. In contrast, antiques are associated with durability, uniqueness and timelessness despite their prior use and considerable age. In 21 in-depth interviews with consumers, we compared refurbished products with antiques and explored whether refurbished products with a design style evoking the past – the neo-retro style – can lead to more positive associations than refurbished products with a prototypical design style. Our findings provided preliminary support for the value of a neo-retro design style for improving consumers' evaluations of refurbished products. Refurbished products and antiques differ in age, technology and the purpose of having them. Antiques have an emotional value and are kept because of the story and historic values, the appearance and/or durability; refurbished products are kept for purely functional reasons. Similar to antiques, refurbished products following a neo-retro design style do not only evoke more positive associations with old products, such as feelings of nostalgia but can also decrease risks associated with refurbished products as they are perceived to be of higher quality and more durable than refurbished products following a prototypical design style@en