The influence of information about prior use on consumers' evaluations of refurbished electronics

Refurbishment – the process of collecting used products, assessing their condition, and replacing and/or upgrading parts in order to resell them to other consumers – is increasingly seen as both economically and environmentally advantageous. The present research investigates in an experimental study and with qualitative post-hoc interviews how information about prior use – offered in either a visual (signs of wear and tear) or verbal (textual description) form – influences consumers' evaluations of refurbished products. The findings show that providing consumers with information about the prior use of refurbished electronics does not have a univocal effect on consumers' evaluations of such products. Visual information about prior use, in terms of signs of wear and tear, has a negative effect on consumers' evaluations of refurbished electronics. Furthermore, presenting consumers with verbal information on prior use can negatively affect consumers' evaluations of a refurbished if no signs of wear and tear are present because it confuses consumers. If signs of wear and tear are present, verbal information about prior use will not influence consumers' evaluations.