Predicting Consumer Intentions to Purchasing Energy-Efficient Products

Table of Contents

Abstract        

1.0 Introduction        

2.0 Literature Review        

2.1 Knowledge        

2.2 Belief        

2.3 Attitudes        

2.4 Confidence of Consequences        

2.5 Environment Awareness        

2.6 Subjective Norm        

2.7 Eagerness of Environmental Engagement        

2.8 Behavioral Intention        

3.0 Methodology        

3.1 Sampling        

3.2 Questionnaire Development        

3.3 Statistical Technique        

4.0 Data Analysis        

4.1 Demographic Characteristics of Respondents        

4.2 Experience in Purchasing Energy-Efficient Products        

4.3 Reliability Analysis        

4.4 Correlation Analysis        

4.5 Multiple Regression Analysis        

5.0 Discussion        

6.0 Conclusion and Recommendations        

References        

Appendix        

Abstract

Purpose – This study aims to examine the effects of knowledge, belief, attitudes, confidence of consequences, environment awareness, subjective norm, eagerness of environmental engagement and behavioral intention on predicting consumer intentions toward purchase of energy-efficient products.

Design/methodology/approach – The research used a multiple regression for data analysis with the computer programme statistical package for social science (SPSS) across a sample of 300 student respondents of University Malaysia Sabah Labuan International Campus (UMSLIC). Their participation is purely voluntary.

Findings – Empirical analysis via multiple regression confirmed that knowledge and environmental awareness jointly influenced consumer intentions toward purchase of energy-efficient products.

Research limitations/implications – Respondents were randomly drawn from the students in a public higher learning institution in the UMSLIC, Malaysia that practising behavior intention to buy an energy-efficient products to save energy, save cost or money and these product its eco-friendly. Thus, may not represent the entire population of Malaysia.

Practical implications – This research should contribute significantly to manufacturers, retailers and marketers in boosting young consumer behavior intention and environmental awareness promoting positive perceptions towards energy-efficient products and quality for increased green product market sustainability and acceptance which is helpful for better market segmentation, targeting and positioning of green products that are not harmful to the environment and could promote consumer demands.

Originality – The results of this study offer a new forward motion to the findings of prior studies on young consumer behavioral intention, which is not much covered in the literature in Malaysia context by examining the effects of knowledge, belief, attitude, confidence in consequences, environment awareness, subjective norm and eagerness of environment engagement, within the Malaysian context.

Keywords Behavioral intention, Energy-efficient product, Consumer behavior, Subjective norm, Behavioral patterns, Multiple regressions

Paper type Research paper

1.0 Introduction

There are various types of social and institutional barriers to cost-effective energy conservation measures been identified such as misplaced incentives, lack of information, regulation, market structure, financing and custom (Blumstein, Krieg, Schipper & York, 1980). Market barriers occur when the consumer react to the changes in prices of the appliance, low diffusion of technologies, lack of information about the green products and energy prices depends on the possibility of behavioural adjustments in consumption. Current electricity price can affect the failure to induce innovation of energy-efficient products as the short-term effect on disposable income, while consumers will invest in energy efficiency when they predicting electricity prices to rise in the future (Panzone, 2013). The role of uncertainty and irreversibility on the diffusion of energy efficient technologies is depends by the consumers when they want to buy the new appliances (Baker, 2012). Some of the consumers does not have any intention to buy the products because they might think that the energy efficient products does not have benefits for their daily usages.