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Do up-displayed eco-friendly products always perform better? The moderating role of psychological distance

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  • Wang, Haizhong
  • Shen, Manqiong
  • (Amy) Song, Yiping
  • Phau, Ian

Abstract

With the deterioration of the human living environment, the consumption of eco-friendly products has received increasing attention, specifically with regard to morality. Given the positive metaphorical associations between morality and up-position, up-displayed eco-friendly products can enhance consumers’ positive responses to such products. More importantly, we find that the up-position enhancement effect depends on consumers’ psychological distance from environmental issues. The results from five studies (Studies 1a, 1b, 1c, 2, and 3) demonstrate that when consumers perceive a far psychological distance from environmental issues, up-displaying eco-friendly products can enhance their processing fluency for product information, resulting in more positive product evaluations and higher purchase intentions. However, the enhancement effect of up-displaying eco-friendly products is attenuated when consumers perceive environmental issues as proximal to them. The present findings theoretically contribute to dual-processing models and construal level theory and provide practical benefits to companies’ marketing strategies of eco-friendly products.

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  • Wang, Haizhong & Shen, Manqiong & (Amy) Song, Yiping & Phau, Ian, 2020. "Do up-displayed eco-friendly products always perform better? The moderating role of psychological distance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 198-212.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:114:y:2020:i:c:p:198-212
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.03.031
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    2. Yonis Gulzar & Nisa Eksili & Kemal Koksal & Pinar Celik Caylak & Mohammad Shuaib Mir & Arjumand Bano Soomro, 2024. "Who Is Buying Green Products? The Roles of Sustainability Consciousness, Environmental Attitude, and Ecotourism Experience in Green Purchasing Intention at Tourism Destinations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-15, September.
    3. Basso, Frédéric & Bouillé, Julien & Troiville, Julien, 2021. "Are you up for fair-trade products? Vertical dimension as a metaphorical representation of virtuous consumption," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 508-518.
    4. Xingyuan Wang & Yaming Wang & Yi Wang, 2021. "The Influence of Infectious Disease Cues on Purchase Intention for Environmentally Friendly Products," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-18, August.

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