Our production and consumption patterns of electronic products exceed the limits of what one planet can handle. Prolonging product lifetimes decreases the value losses caused by the destruction of existing products and lowers the amount of e-waste. Repair is an impactful strategy to tackle the issues associated with the production and consumption of electronic products. However, most discarded products are never repaired during their lifetime. Literature proposed several design for repair strategies, predominantly from a technical (engineering) perspective. However, a technically repairable design may not automatically result in repair behavior. Consumers and their behavior play a key role in prolonging the lifetimes of our daily used products.

The objective of this thesis is to explore the role of design in stimulating consumers to extending product lifetimes via repair. A consumer perspective investigates why consumers decide to prematurely replace products and their barriers towards repair. Design and marketing strategies to stimulate repair (e.g., support in failure diagnosis, modularity, and lifetime labels) are identified from literature. The effectiveness, boundaries and the required conditions of these strategies are tested in several empirical studies. They showed that high perceived repair self-efficacy, explicit cues guiding the repair act, and specific information about product’s reliability and upgradeability can increase consumers’ repair intentions.

By adopting a consumer-centric approach, this thesis offers contributions to design research on product lifetime extension and repair. However, creating a repairing society is not solely a consumer’s responsibility. One should realize that product lifetime extension requires a shift in current industry practice and businesses organization, as well as the design of appropriate policies. Therefore, a systemic approach and cooperation between all involved stakeholders is required. Designers, researchers and policymakers can use our insights to stimulate much-needed consumer repair practices of (electronic) products within a circular economy.
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Long-lasting electronic products contribute to a sustainable society; however, both expected and actual lifetimes are in decline. This research provides in-depth insights into consumers’ considerations about product lifetimes, barriers to extending lifetimes, and responses to a product lifetime label. Results of interviews (n = 22) with Dutch consumers suggest a positive view on long-lasting products. Nevertheless, their products’ value depreciated during their lifetimes. Consumers consider themselves unable to estimate how long products should last, which can be detrimental as low expectations tend to negatively influence actual lifetimes. Also, use intensity and consumers’ care(less) behavior influence the lifetime. To extend product lifetimes, consumers often disregard the option of repairing malfunctioning products. They have limited knowledge and ability, and believe repair provides poor value for money. Lifetime extension can also be hindered by market-related factors, such as convenient replacement services, new technological developments, and (attractive) deals. We suggest a product lifetime label should contain relevant and reliable information; furthermore, we recommend including (extended) warranty information. When information about repairability is included, potential negative responses should be considered. Finally, raising awareness about the environmental impact of short-lived products via a label may have a positive effect but requires more research attention ... Read more

Current production and consumption patterns of consumer electronics have a negative impact on our environment. Designers can contribute to changing these patterns with more sustainable product design. Prolonging product lifetimes can have a positive impact, for which repair is a promising solution. However, the fact that a product can be physically repaired does not mean that users will act accordingly. Users generally have a low ability to repair consumer electronics. We suggest that design interventions may increase users’ can-do repair mentality, leading to a higher intention to repair. In three experiments, we tested the effect of a design intervention, namely the presence of a fault indication, on users’ willingness to repair. Our results showed a significantly higher willingness to repair in the presence of a fault indication, which is explained by a higher level of perceived self-efficacy (i.e., a can-do attitude). However, this result only holds true for products that are relatively less likely to be professionally repaired, such as coffee makers and (handstick cordless) vacuum cleaners, and not for washing machines, which are more likely to be professionally repaired. We end with practical design implications, limitations, and future research directions. ... Read more

Modularity represents a promising design strategy for product lifetime extension. Yet, the fact that products are physically designed to be repaired via such a modular design, does not mean consumers will act accordingly. Past research demonstrated promising results with current modular smartphone users. However, these users may not necessarily reflect the average consumer because modular products are not (yet) the norm. Two experiments were set up to test the effect of modularity on consumers’ likeliness to repair and to investigate which specific design cues can encourage consumers to execute DIY (‘do-it-yourself’) repair. The first study shows that a modular design increased the general likeliness to repair and decreased the task difficulty compared to a conventional design. Interestingly, the likeliness to use professional repair increased for modular smartphones, while the likeliness to DIY repair remained low. For DIY repair, consumers thus may need more support. The second study shows that facilitating design cues on the inside of a modular smartphone increased consumers' likeliness to consider DIY repair. Our results are relevant for practitioners aiming to increase electronic product DIY repair. ... Read more

Consumers’ expectations about product lifetimes have an influence on the actual lifetimes. Promoting repairability and a product lifetime label can potentially encourage consumers to extend product lifetimes. In this paper, we present in-depth insights in how consumers make estimations about product lifetimes, and their attitudes towards repairability and a product lifetime label. Our results reveal that consumers feel unable to make a well-informed estimation about the product lifetime, have negative associations with product repairability, and have concerns about how use intensity and use behavior can be taken into account on a label. Additionally, displaying a minimum number of years on a label may cause unintentional rebound effects. ... Read more

Product repair can decrease the ecological burden of consumer electronics by lengthening their lifetimes, but it is still too rarely practised by consumers. Design for behaviour change can motivate consumers to undertake repair activities. An increased level of repair self-efficacy can nudge consumers towards repair. In two experiments, we tested the effects of a fault indication on consumers’ willingness to repair washing machines, vacuum cleaners and stick vacuum cleaners. A fault indication is a signal appearing on a product providing information about the occurring failure. For products that are relatively less likely to be repaired by a repair professional, the willingness to repair increased significantly when a fault indication was present. The perceived level of self-efficacy mediated these results. These results remained consistent among different types of product failures. Finally, we provide implications for designers and future opportunities on how to further stimulate consumers’ willingness to repair electronic products ... Read more

Many products are disposed of before they have reached the end of their functional life. New technological developments and trends in fashion seem to accelerate consumers’ replacement of products. From an environmental perspective, such early replacement is undesirable. In this paper, we emphasize that product replacement is not only based on rational decision making. Emotional, functional, social, epistemic and conditional values can influence the value trade-offs that consumers make during the decision to either retain an owned product or replace it with a new one. Several strategies are discussed that can increase the owned product's values and stimulate retention via product attachment, sustaining aesthetic value, stimulating product care and maintenance, and enabling upgradeability. ... Read more

Prolonging product lifetimes is a crucial aspect of the Circular Economy.Currently, a lot of products are replaced while still functioning or in need of (minor) repair. Although industry creates a demand for new products with the introduction of new technologies and promotion activities, consumers’ evolving needs and barriers towards repair activities stimulate premature replacement. Yet, recent literature on consumers’ reasoning behind the decision to prematurely replace products is scarce. This research contributes by providing an in-depth understanding of the underlying reasons of the (premature) replacement of consumer electronics and white goods. The reasons to replace and barriers towards repair activities were explored in semi-structured interviews with consumers (n=10). Product, user and market-related factors were found as factors influencing (premature) product replacement. First, defect or faltering functionalities and the age/value depreciation of products has large effect on replacement. When the age of the product increases, the more likely it will be replaced by a new one even if the product still functions properly. Furthermore, cosmetic wear also stimulates replacement. New desires, the lack of repair knowledge and individual differences between users also impact the replacement. In addition, consumers lack knowledge about the impact of products’ early replacement on the environment. While they prefer long-lasting, well-functioning products, the desire to fulfil their evolving needs is essential. Regarding the market, the low price of new products and high price of repair reinforce the decision to replace a product. Deals and discounts also tend to trigger premature product replacement. Our findings aim to pinpoint important factors of premature product replacement that need to be addressed by researchers, industries and policymakers in order to prolong products’ lifetime. ... Read more