I rent, swap or buy second-hand – comparing antecedents for online collaborative clothing consumption models

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to explore the motivational drivers and barriers that influence consumers' participation in three online collaborative clothing consumption models (i.e. renting, swapping and buying second-hand clothing). A survey was used to collect primary data from South African consumers (n = 766) aged 19 years and older, who shopped online. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed to uncover the factors influencing participation in the three models. Subsequently, three multiple regression models determined which drivers and barriers influenced the particular collaborative clothing consumption model. A collaborative lifestyle was the only driver for renting while swapping was positively affected by hedonic dimensions, collaborative lifestyle and economic benefits, and negatively impacted by hygiene issues, unfamiliarity with the concept and materialism. Motivational drivers for buying second-hand clothing were hedonic dimensions, environmental benefits, and economic benefits, while hygiene issues, unfamiliarity with the concept, online trust issues, and materialism prohibited second-hand buying.