Smart shoppers? Using QR codes and ‘green’ smartphone apps to mobilize sustainable consumption in the retail environment

Abstract

Smartphone-based mobile advertising is a promising marketing vehicle, especially in retail and point-of-purchase environments, yet we still do not know enough about what motivates consumers to turn to mobile advertising. This is particularly true of new forms of mobile advertising, like quick response (QR) codes, which rely on pull-based approaches, rather than push-style advertising. The study clarifies this omission by exploring various antecedents that encourage consumer use of mobile advertising. Relying on the uses and gratifications approach as a theoretical framework, this study tests three antecedents of new media adoption: institutional trust, involvement and market mavenism. Data are drawn from a representative sample of 401 American adults and their willingness to use QR codes in shopping environments within the context of purchasing sustainable products. The data were analysed using ordinary least squares regression. Results indicate government trust, buycotting and market mavenism are positively related to consumers' willingness to use mobile phone-based QR code advertising whereas corporate trust is negatively related. The results offer important theoretical and managerial implications: first, there is a need to include broader institutional trust variables in the uses and gratifications framework of new media use; second, QR code content should be carefully crafted to provide meaningful, usable information for involved consumers; and third, market mavens' tendency to share information should be harnessed by providing QR code content that is relevant, interesting and easily passed on to other consumers.

Gray Shades of Green: Causes and Consequences of Green Skepticism

“…Although companies frequently try to inform consumers about the green nature of their offerings (e.g., eco-labels, explanations on product packaging, web pages), environmental product claims (e.g., organic, fair trade, biodegradable packaging) fall into the category of credence attributes, which consumers find difficult to assess not only before purchase but also after purchase and use (Atkinson, 2013). This problem is further complicated by recurrent instances of greenwashing misleading consumers about the environmental benefits of a product (Delmas and Burbano, 2011).…”

Factors affecting consumer usage of QR codes

“…However, to the best of our knowledge, there are only a few studies that are tangentially related to this important research question. [9][10][11][12] This study therefore aims to fill this gap by exploring the factors that affect the use of QR codes.…”

Changes in consumer segments and preferences to green labelling

“…They found that manufacturers who offered organic fibres in their clothing lines were demanding and receiving a premium price. Atkinson's () exploration of eco‐labelling strategies suggested that QR codes and green smartphone apps were effective in eliciting consumption of goods sold in retail stores. In a study exploring the willingness of consumers to pay for eco‐labelled company offerings, demographics were identified as distinguishing factors (Moon et al ., ).…”

“…There are mixed findings about this subject in the literature. For example, green smartphone apps were effective in eliciting consumption of goods sold in retail stores eco‐labelling (Atkinson, ), and eco‐labelling may lead to higher market shares (Teisl et al ., ). However, Sedjo and Swallow () found that having eco‐labels did not guarantee businesses to receive price premiums.…”