From Waste Minimization to Value Maximization: How Marketing Cues Influence Consumer Adoption and Product Life Extension Decisions.

Abstract

Marketing’s core function is to create, communicate, and deliver value to consumers, organizations, and the wider society. A simple way marketers communicate value to stakeholders is through marketing cues. This thesis examines three novel marketing cues that are increasingly becoming popular in the marketplace, which convey product information at different stages of product lifecycles: from production to promotion and product life extension. Specifically, three empirical manuscripts investigate how production mode (i.e., whether a product is handmade or machine-made), hidden gem promotion (i.e., to signal the product’s social novelty and excellent value), and product care information (i.e., maintenance strategies that can prolong the product’s lifespan) influences consumers’ decision-making processes before and after purchase stages of consumption. Collectively, these manuscripts advance the marketing literature by presenting new insights into why and when such marketing cues affect consumer behavior. Importantly, this thesis offers practical recommendations on effectively leveraging these cues to minimize waste and maximize value for various stakeholders.