Predicting consumer intentions to purchaseenergy-efficient products

Hong-Youl Ha

Department of Marketing, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon-si, South Korea, and

Swinder JandaDepartment of Marketing, College of Business Administration, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA

AbstractPurpose This research aims to examine behavioral intentions toward purchase of energy-efficient products utilizing the theory of reasoned actionframework.Design/methodology/approach Survey data from a sample of 202 shoppers of electrical appliances and small electronic products was utilized toestimate the proposed model.Findings The main finding is that attitude toward energy-efficient product has a stronger effect on intentions compared to the subjective normcomponent.Research limitations/implications In order to maximize use of their financial resources, companies marketing energy-efficient products need tofocus more on enhancing consumer attitudes toward their brands and spend relatively less on efforts to educate consumers about using energy efficient appliances in general.Practical implications Since attitudes are formed from beliefs and knowledge, use of informational ads that clearly illustrate energy-savingconsequences of their specific brands of products will be an effective marketing approach.Originality/value This study is timely considering the recent steady increase in energy prices accompanied by growing environmental concernsamong businesses, governments, and consumers.

Keywords Attitude formation, Theory of reasoned action, Energy-efficient product, Eagerness of environmental engagement, Energy conservation,Consumer behaviour

Paper type Research paper

An executive summary for managers and executive

readers can be found at the end of this article.

Introduction

An enhanced sense of concern related to global climatechange and increasing media coverage attributed to this issuehas led to an increase in number of consumers activelyseeking out and adopting energy-efficient products. In arecent multi-country survey, respondents reported that acorporations record of addressing key environmental andclimate change issues has a bearing not only on how muchthey trust the company but also their likelihood of purchasingthe companys products (Bonini et al., 2008). Moreover,research suggests that the increasing environmental concernand a greater emphasis on global sustainability issues have inrecent years become important priorities of globalorganizations such as the OECD and the UN (Jansson et al.,2010). Several prior studies have also found, however, thatenvironmentally-conscious people do not show a consistentpreference for purchasing environmentally-friendly products

or in many cases are not willing to pay a premium for such

products (e.g. Kilbourne and Pickett, 2008; Ohtomo and

Hirose, 2007). Prior research also shows how businesses have

had very limited success in terms of marketing products

utilizing renewable energy sources (Gleason et al., 1996;

Rader and Norgaard, 1996).A good understanding of consumer attitudes toward

environmental issues and consumption of green products

may be particularly important due to the previously outlined

discrepancy between consumer opinions about environmental

issues and actual purchase behavior. In order to better

understand consumer attitudes toward energy-saving

products, it may be important to investigate how

environmental attitudes are formed. It has been previously

shown, for instance, that a consumer generally concerned

about the environment may still not be proactive in a

behavioral sense unless he/she feels that individuals can play

an active role in positively affecting the environment

(Straughan and Roberts, 1999). Thus a study of attitudes in

this context can provide meaningful insight into potential

purchase behavior. As Eagly and Chaiken (1993, p. 191)

reiterate, theories of behavior should consider how people

conceptualize and then execute the set of actions required to

engage in a consequential behavior.

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at

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Journal of Consumer Marketing

29/7 (2012) 461469

q Emerald Group Publishing Limited [ISSN 0736-3761]

[DOI 10.1108/07363761211274974]

This research has been supported by the National Research Foundation ofKorea, NRF-2010-332-B00133.

461

Extant research also indicates that consumer attitudes are

one of the most relevant predictors of green purchasing

decisions (Grob, 1995; Schlegelmilch et al., 1996). Thus, themain focus of this study is to understand consumer attitudes

and behavior related to two product categories (energy-

efficient electronics and appliances) purchased by a widevariety of consumers. This is accomplished by applying the

theory of reasoned action [hereafter referred to as TRA]

(Fishbein and Ajzen, 1975) in the context of energy-efficientproduct purchases. The ultimate goal of this study is to

further understand consumer purchase behavior toward greenproducts and provide managerial implications for the benefit

of companies that market such products.This study aims to contribute to the body of research on

energy-efficient products in two important ways. First, by

applying the TRA framework to the context of energy-efficient product purchases, we extend the overall body of

theoretical knowledge surrounding the Theory of Reasoned

Action. Second, we empirically demonstrate that our attitudeformation model for energy-efficient products has distinct

behavioral implications. A deeper understanding of the

consumer attitude formation process obtained from differentglobal markets contributes insights useful in predicting actual

consumer behavior related to energy-efficient products.The remainder of the paper is organized as follows: we first

outline key theoretical perspectives and summarize the

proposed hypotheses. Thereafter, we provide an overview ofthe methodology, analysis procedures, and key results. The

last part of the paper delves into the discussion and

implications of this research and potential avenues for futureresearch.

Overview of the theoretical framework

The theory of reasoned action (TRA) posits that an

individuals behavior is determined by his/her behavioral

intention, which in turn is defined as a function of attitudetoward the behavior and subjective norm (Fishbein and

Ajzen, 1975). The theory thus predicts intention to perform abehavior by the attitude toward that behavior rather than by

attitude toward a product or service. This perspective may be

particularly useful for predicting behavior in the energy-savingindustry because in this context consumers often decide to

perform behaviors that they can associate with desirable

outcomes (Bang et al., 2000). For instance, a shopper maypossess a favorable attitude toward an inexpensive refrigerator

and may view that option as more affordable. However, while

looking at different alternatives, s/he may decide on a high-performance energy-saving refrigerator. The final intention to

purchase this particular product (even though it may often bea more expensive option) may be influenced by beliefs about

the positive consequences of purchasing this product (in an

environment where the issue of global warming gainsincreasing prominence) and the individuals level of

motivation to comply with those normative beliefs (Hansen

et al., 2004).An attitude has been noted in prior research as an

evaluative appraisal (Bagozzi, 1992). If an individual makesfavorable (unfavorable) evaluative judgments, then attitudes

will lead to intentions to perform (or not) the behavior.

However, the TRA applies only to behaviors in which noexternal or internal impediments exist that may potentially

prevent the behavior after the intention to perform the

behavior has been established. In an attempt to minimize this

criticism, we attempt to extend the theoretical framework

proposed by Bang et al. (2000), who have previously appliedthe TRA to understand behavioral intentions in the renewable

energy industry.The major constructs studied in this research include

knowledge and beliefs related to the energy-efficient product

being evaluated, confidence of consequence, environmental

awareness, and eagerness of environmental engagement. We

included environmental awareness and eagerness of

environmental engagement in the study in order to better

understand the subjective norm component of the TRA and

in this sense to build on Bang et al.s (2000) findings. Figure 1outlines the framework of hypothesized relationships, which

are discussed in detail in the following section.

Conceptualization and research hypotheses

Consumer knowledge is comprised of two major components:

familiarity and expertise. Familiarity, or product related

experience, is the first component of product knowledge,

while the more profound component of product knowledge is

expertise, or the ability to perform product-related tasks (Alba

andHutchinson, 1987;Cordell, 1997). Product knowledge can

include objective or subjective components.Weargue that in the

context of environmental sustainability, objective knowledge

may be a stronger contributor to the formation of consumer

attitudes. Consumers who plan to purchase durable products

such as refrigerators or washing machines may have little

objective experience with a specific brand of the product

(compared to the situation of purchasing a frequently replaced

item).Thus, their perceptions andbeliefs about energy-efficient

products as well as the environment will be shaped positively by

objective factual information (Farhar, 1996).In the context of TRA, energy-saving products which are

marketed as contemporary product innovations (and energy

efficient devices) should enhance consumer beliefs. Bang et al.(2000) highlight that knowledge about green products leads

to stronger beliefs about benefits of the use of green products

and to more positively balanced beliefs about the impact of

product use. Thus we propose the following hypothesis:

H1. Consumer knowledge will positively affect beliefsabout energy-efficient products.

Fishbein and Ajzen (1975) propose a relationship that links

beliefs, attitude, intentions, and behaviors. Beliefs influence a

consumers overall attitude about an object. Beliefs often

reflect commonly available evidence about product

characteristics that helps enhance peoples psychological

comfort (Jervis, 2006). However, we argue that specific

beliefs about consequences of energy-efficient products will

affect specific attitudes toward use of an environmentally

friendly product [rather than general beliefs about a concern

for the environment] (Gardner and Stern, 1996; Hines et al.,1986/1987; Mainieri et al., 1997; Tanner and Kast, 2003).Thus the following hypothesis:

H2. Stronger beliefs about engaging in behaviors favoringenergy-efficient products will positively affect

consumer attitudes toward energy-efficient products.

TRA posits that beliefs are based on knowledge, or that which

the individual perceives to be true. Research in the decision-

making realm has defined confidence as an individuals belief

Predicting consumer intentions to purchase energy-efficient products

H.-Y. Ha and S. Janda

Journal of Consumer Marketing

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462

that his/her judgment is accurate (Berger, 1992) or that future

events will occur as expected (Siegrist et al., 2003). As noted

previously, both belief and confidence are psychologically

classified as similar perceptions, but the degree of confidence

reflects how sure the consumer is that the product addresses a

genuine issue [it represents an environmental benefit in this

context] (McDonald and Oates, 2006). Thus, confidence

should be considered as an evaluation of consequences in the

TRA.Self-confidence has been cited as an important construct

for understanding consumer behavior. Similarly,

psychological confidence is a fundamental aspect of human

judgment and thought (Tormala et al., 2008). Confidence is a

cognitive component that reflects the degree of conviction or

certainty with which an attitude is held (Berger and Mitchell,

1989; Krishnan and Smith, 1998). In the context of this

study, confidence is defined as the extent to which an

individual feels capable and assured with respect to his/her

marketplace decisions related to energy-efficient products

(Bearden et al., 2001). As such, confidence reflects subjective

evaluations of ones ability to generate positive experiences as

a consumer in this context (Adelman, 1987). Prior research

has shown that attitudes play a more prominent role in choice

behavior when they are confidently held (Fazio, 1990;

Krishnan and Smith, 1998). This stance is supported by

Straughan and Roberts (1999) who found that consumer

confidence about the likelihood of affecting desirable

outcomes had a strong effect on their attitudes and

responses to environmental appeals. Correspondingly,

research shows that people are more likely to engage in

behavior related to environmental causes when they believe

that they have the capability to help solve environmental

problems through their behavior (Axelrod and Lehman, 1993;

Grob, 1995; Tanner, 1999). Based on this discussion, the

following hypotheses are proposed:

H3. Consumer confidence will be positively related to

attitude toward energy-efficient products.H4. Attitudes toward energy-efficient products are

positively related to behavioral intentions.

The present model proposes that the more conscious

individuals are of the current state of the environment, the

more likely they will be to act in an environmentally conscious

way (Grob, 1995; Maloney and Ward, 1973). From a TRA

perspective, environmental awareness may be considered a

determinant of subjective norm. The environmental

awareness is represented by environmental knowledge and

the recognition of environmental problems (Grob, 1995). In

pertinent situations, it should then be directly linked to

whether environmental attitudes predict actual behavior.We propose that a heightened sense of environmental

awareness may enhance a consumers sense of moral

obligation, and in turn, indirectly affect environmental

behaviors (OConnor et al., 1999). Since a personal norm,e.g. a feeling of moral obligation, is a powerful motivator of

environmental behavior (Hopper and Nielsen, 1991; Tanner

and Kast, 2003), we can expect a positive correlation between

environmental awareness and subjective norm. This leads to

the following hypothesis:

H5. Environmental awareness is positively related tosubjective norms.

Subjective norm refers to the influence of ones group of

significant others on his/her behavior (Young and Kent,

1985). Because the subjective norm is equal to the sum of the

strength of each normative belief times the motivation to

comply (Buchan, 2005), we propose it should positively affect

consumer eagerness. Eagerness is conceptualized as a desire

to take action and is similar to the desire measure adopted by

Fitzmaurice (2005) and Perugini and Bagozzi (2001). We

define it as the extent to which an individual has a strong

internal drive to engage in an activity. This study uses

eagerness to indicate a proactive stance toward environmental

activity.Much research has suggested that consumers vary in their

eagerness to engage in a new behavior (Bargh, 2002;

Fitzmaurice, 2005). Consumer eagerness has been shown to

encourage consumers to reach toward desired end states and

in that sense eagerness would be expected to trigger a drive to

engage in opportunities supporting sustainability goals (Pham

Figure 1 Model

Predicting consumer intentions to purchase energy-efficient products

H.-Y. Ha and S. Janda

Journal of Consumer Marketing

Volume 29 Number 7 2012 461469

463

and Avnet, 2004). Thus strong subjective norms related to

engaging in an environmental behavior would enhance

consumer eagerness if consumers feel that doing so wouldimprove the current environment. More specifically, such

norms foster a more eager form of environmental behavior, inwhich the consumer is more willing to engage in the proactive

environmental activity which leads to further behavioral

intentions (Carver, 2001). This is also consistent with the ideathat subjective norms based on environmental motivations

should encourage behavioral intentions (Fishbein and Ajzen,

1975). Thus,

H6. Subjective norms will positively affect consumereagerness.

H7. Eagerness will positively affect behavioral intention.H8. Subjective norms will positively affect behavioral

intention.

Methodology

Participants and procedure

Well-established electronics and appliance stores wereselected in order to sample for respondents. A total of 320

hand-delivered surveys were distributed to consumers outsideTechnomart and Etland in Seoul, South Korea. Etland is the

number one store and Technomart is the second one by sales

volume in the capital city of South Korea. Respondents whohad recently purchased energy-saving products (e.g. bulbs, air

conditioners, TV, fridges, and washing machines) were

selected into the sample.In each case, the primary shopper was asked to fill out the

survey instrument. 218 surveys were returned, representing aresponse rate of 68.1 per cent. Due to missing information

and inadequate responses, a total of 202 usable questionnaireswere obtained. Participants were 72 males and 130 females

ranging in age from 26 to 57 years with a mean age of 41.3

years (s.d. 7.14). In terms of gender distribution, theproportion of women in our sample (64.3 per cent) was

found to be higher than the corresponding proportion in the

nationwide population (51 per cent). This is reflective of theSouth Korean context where shopping on behalf of the

household is still done more by women than by men. In total37 percent of participants indicated that their gross income

was less than $30,000, 46 percent between $30,000 and

$50,000, 13 percent more than $50,000 and for 4 percentof the respondents these data were missing. The distribution

of highest educational level attained showed 24 percent hadcompleted high school, 68 percent had completed a college or

university degree, and 8 percent had attained a master or

doctoral degree.Response bias was also examined using the method

proposed by Armstrong and Overton (1977). One viablecheck for non-response bias is to split the sample into early

(n 126) and late respondents (n 76). Both comparisonsshowed that the subjects demographic profiles were similar,and that ratings on various measures included in the study

were statistically similar. Thus, we are reasonably assured thatthe data set used in this study is not biased.

Measures

All constructs were measured via five-point Likert scalesmainly because this type of scale has been shown to be robust

even in non-US cultural settings (Flaskerud, 1988). The six

constructs measured were the following: knowledge [with four

items adapted from Bang et al. (2000) and Tanner and Kast

(2003)]; belief [with three items adapted from Bang et al.

(2000) and Mainieri et al. (1997)]; confidence [with three

items adapted from Tanner and Kast (2003)]; environmental

awareness [with three items adapted from Grob (1995)];

subjective norm [with four items adapted from Tanner and

Kast (2003) and Thgersen and Olander (2006)]; and

attitude [with four items adapted from Tanner and Kast

(2003)].To measure consumer attitude toward energy-saving

products, measurement scales for eagerness and behavioral

intention were developed based on the guidelines suggested

by Churchill (1979). We first conducted in-depth discussions

with 27 shoppers to generate the initial pool of scale items

(these individuals were different from those who participated

in the main study). Two academic researchers then evaluated

this pool of items for face validity. Based on their feedback,

several items were deleted or modified. We then conducted a

focus group study with 14 shoppers. Inputs from these

respondents were used to further refine and modify the final

items. Based on these procedures, we ended up with a three-

item scale for eagerness and a two-item measure for

behavioral intentions.

Results

Confirmatory factor analysis

As shown in Table I, the CFA measurement model provided a

good fit to the data. While the chi-square statistic was

significant (p , 0.01), it is known to be highly sensitive tosample sizes (Joreskog, 1993), so various alternative fit

statistics were computed [e.g. the comparative fit index (CFI);

the non-normed fit index (NNFI); and the root mean square

error of approximation (RMSEA)]. Values in the mid- to

high- 0.90 range indicate good fit for the CFI and NNFI, and

values of 0.80 and less indicate good fit for the RMSEA (Hu

and Bentler, 1999). The CFI estimate was 0.987. The

RMSEA estimate was 0.057, indicating that the fit is good

because the RMSEA is the least affected by sample size

(Sharma et al., 2005). Similarly, the NNFI estimate was 0.965

which further supports the adequacy of the measurement

model.Composite reliability was calculated using the procedures

outlined by Fornell and Larcker (1981). We examined the

parameter estimates and assessed the average variance

extracted for each construct (Anderson and Gerbing, 1988;

Bagozzi and Yi, 1988). The composite reliabilities for the

eight constructs ranged from 0.82 to 0.89. The average

variance extracted ranged from 0.54 to 0.76. The factor

loadings ranged from 0.610 to 0.862 ( p , 0.01). In aconfirmatory factor analysis, each measure also loaded

significantly on the expected constructs, which demonstrates

convergent validity.On the basis of the validation sample, we assessed

discriminant validity with Fornell and Larckers (1981)

criterion. Table II shows that the smallest AVE exceeds the

squared correlation between each pair of the relationship

value dimensions. This indicates a satisfactory level of

discriminant validity.

Predicting consumer intentions to purchase energy-efficient products

H.-Y. Ha and S. Janda

Journal of Consumer Marketing

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Table I Loadings of all measurement items using CFA

Variables CR AVE Loadings

Knowledge 0.85 0.59

How familiar are you with energy-efficient products? 0.618

How knowledgeable are you about energy-efficient products? 0.736

Energy-efficient appliance is more appropriate for the environment than conventional cost-saving

appliance

0.771

Energy-efficient appliance is produced by the environmentally friendly process. 0.693

Belief 0.87 0.70

I believe that being environmentally conscious when buying does not directly benefit the environment 0.816

How important is the environment when considering energy-efficient products 0.772

How important is reliability when considering energy-efficient products 0.630

Confidence 0.88 0.71

I believe in the quality guarantee of energy-efficient products 0.734

I trust my own judgment when deciding which appliances to consider 0.783

I am very confident about which appliances are worth considering for the environment 0.739

Environmental awareness 0.84 0.65

The main cause of the climate change is a lack of environmental risk perceptions 0.718

Current environmental situations are very serious for our future 0.675

Without innovation, conventional production is a serious environmental problem 0.716

Subjective norm 0.82 0.54

Everyone has a responsibility to contribute to environmental preservation by purchasing energy-

saving products

0.781

I feel morally obligated to refrain from buying the conventional cost-saving products 0.828

I get a bad conscience if I choose conventional instead of energy-saving products 0.624

I accept and carry out the environmental activity even though it is different from me 0.610

Eagerness 0.89 0.73

I like helping the current climate change 0.680

I like engaging in the environmental campaign 0.791

I can be very enthusiastic if my action helps the planet 0.862

Attitude 0.88 0.65

It is not important to me whether the product is energy-saving or not 0.776

Environmental protection is important to me when making purchases 0.740

If I can choose between energy-saving and conventional products, I prefer energy-saving one 0.660

I have a favorable attitude toward purchasing an energy-saving product 0.727

Behavioral intention 0.89 0.76

The probability that I will buy the energy-saving product is very high 0.770

I will buy an energy-efficient product in a more effective way 0.816

x2 5 517.328; DF 5 271

CFI 5 0.987; NNFI 5 0.965; RMSEA 5 0.057

Note: CR=Composite Reliability

Table II Discriminant validity

Mean SD 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 a

1. Knowledge 3.11 0.86 0.59 0.772. Belief 2.88 0.96 0.41 0.70 0.783. Confidence 3.25 0.66 0.42 0.49 0.71 0.794. Environmental awareness 3.48 0.87 0.38 0.45 0.46 0.65 0.745. Subjective norm 3.39 1.01 0.31 0.37 0.38 0.35 0.54 0.736. Eagerness 3.36 0.93 0.43 0.51 0.51 0.47 0.39 0.73 0.827. Attitude 3.22 0.91 0.38 0.45 0.46 0.42 0.35 0.47 0.65 0.818. Behavioral intention 2.66 1.12 0.44 0.53 0.53 0.49 0.41 0.55 0.49 0.76 0.77

Notes: Italic numbers on the diagonal show the AVE. a is Cronbachs Alpha

Predicting consumer intentions to purchase energy-efficient products

H.-Y. Ha and S. Janda

Journal of Consumer Marketing

Volume 29 Number 7 2012 461469

465

Structural equation model results

The structural model revealed a x2 of 678.231(df 288; p , 0:01; x2=df 2:355), CFI of 0.921, TLI of0.903, and RMSEA of 0.065. All relationships proposed by

the model were significant, except for the path from subjective

norm to eagerness of environmental engagement. Overall fit

was excellent. The squared multiple correlations for the

structural equations were as follows: belief about energy-

efficient product, 0.25; attitude toward the product, 0.72;

subjective norm, 0.16; eagerness of environmental

engagement, 0.23; and behavioral intention, 0.43. Thus, a

substantial proportion of variance in each of these constructs

is explained.H1, predicting a positive relationship between consumer

knowledge and beliefs, was statistically significant

(b 0:49; p , 0:001). The proposed relationship (H2)between beliefs and attitude toward energy-efficient

products was also significant in the current data

(b 0:72; p , 0:001).H3, predicting a positive relationship between consumer

confidence and attitude toward energy-efficient products, was

also supported (b 0:32; p , 0:001). H4, predicting a keyrelationship between attitude and intention, was strongly

positive (b 0:46) and significant at p , 0.001.The proposed relationship (H5) between environmental

awareness and subjective norm was supported

(b 0:40; p , 0:001), but interestingly, the proposedrelationship (H6) between subjective norm and eagerness

was not statistically significant. Further, the proposed

relationship (H7) between eagerness and behavioral

intention was also supported (b 0:27; p , 0:01). Finally,H8, predicting one of key relationships of TRA between

subjective norm and behavioral intention, was positive

(b 0:25) and significant at p , 0.01.In general, the results of the proposed model are consistent

with those of prior TRA studies. However, we find a non-

significant relationship between subjective norm and

eagerness of environmental engagement. In other words, our

study failed to find evidence of whether subjective norm

enhances a consumers eagerness of environmental

engagement.

Discussion and managerial implications

This study draws on the TRA framework to understand

consumers decisions related to purchasing energy efficient

products. This study is relevant in todays environment as the

recent spike in global energy prices and growing concerns for

the natural environment (Jansson et al., 2010) has led

consumers toward seeking out energy-efficient green

products. A sample of respondents in South Korea is

utilized to empirically evaluate a proposed model that looks

at the effect of attitudes and subjective norm components on

behavioral intention in this context. Belief about energy-

efficient product being considered and confidence of

consequence are tested as predictors of attitude toward the

energy-efficient product. Similarly, environmental awareness

is used as a predictor of subjective norm. In addition, the

model also looks at how eagerness of environmental

engagement affects behavioral intention. Overall, the

proposed model successfully accounts for 43 percent of the

variance explained in predicting intention to engage in the

behavior of purchasing the energy-efficient product.A notable finding of the research is that even though both

attitude and subjective norm had significant effects on

behavioral intention as the TRA would suggest, the effect of

attitude on behavioral intention is much stronger

(b 0:46; p , 0:001) than the effect of subjective norm onbehavioral intention (b 0:25; p , 0:01). The implication ofthis finding in this context is that companies marketing

energy-efficient products need to make sure that potential

consumers have strong favorable attitudes toward their brand

of such products. Since attitudes are formed from beliefs and

knowledge, such companies need to utilize informational

advertisements that clearly illustrate the energy-saving

consequences of their particular brands of such products.

Lack of clear, detailed information related to

environmentally-friendly products has often been cited as a

challenge faced by consumers (Pickett-Baker and Ozaki,

2008). One way of accomplishing this (in the context of an

appliance) would be to use a factual, comparative approach

where the featured energy-saving appliance would be

illustrated as saving a considerable percentage of energy

over a regular appliance (non energy-efficient appliance).

Figures related to the monetary amount of energy savings per

year can similarly be added to such advertisements in order to

make a compelling argument. Our research shows that even

though general environmental awareness and normative

influences will positively affect behavior, promotions

focusing on informational appeals must be used to

effectively influence potential consumers in this context.The relationship between subjective norm and eagerness of

environmental engagement has previously been established

(Fitzmaurice, 2005), but the current study did not find this

link to be significant. However, the results do indicate that a

higher level of eagerness of environmental engagement has a

positive and significant effect on behavioral intention

(b 0:27; p , 0:01). The implication of these findings isthat someones intention to engage in the purchase of an

energy-efficient product may be shaped by how much he/she

feels that his/her behavior is empowering in terms of affecting

the environment in a positive way. Thus even though factual

and informational promotions featuring the focal brand would

be effective in affecting behavioral intentions in this context

(as pointed out previously), at the same time, strategies

focusing on general information about the necessity of

protecting the environment and saving resources would also

play a role in affecting intentions.

Limitations and future research

Several limitations exist in terms of the generalizability and

interpretation of the results of the study. First, this study did

not find the relationship between subjective norm and

eagerness to be significant, which is contrary to previous

research findings. Future research may need to look further

into this relationship. Second, future research needs to

examine our model in the industrial purchasing context (in

place of final consumers). This would be pertinent as

industrial purchasers are typically responsible for high levels

of energy use (compared to final consumers). Third, it would

be important to test the robustness of this model by

replicating it in other contexts outside of South Korea.

Predicting consumer intentions to purchase energy-efficient products

H.-Y. Ha and S. Janda

Journal of Consumer Marketing

Volume 29 Number 7 2012 461469

466

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About the authors

Dr Hong-Youl Ha is an Assistant Professor of Marketing at

the Kangwon National University in Korea. He obtained his

PhD from Swinburne University of Technology in Australia

and his articles have been previously published in the

European Journal of Marketing, International MarketingReview, Service Industries Journal, Journal of ServicesMarketing, among others.Dr Swinder Janda is a Professor of Marketing and The Paul

Edgerley Endowed Chair in Global Business at Kansas State

University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA. He has published

numerous times in journals such as Psychology & Marketing,European Journal of Marketing, International Journal of ServiceIndustry Management, International Marketing Review, Journal

of Brand Management, and Journal of Consumer Marketing,among others. Swinder Janda is the corresponding author and

can be contacted at: Swinder@ksu.edu

Executive summary and implications formanagers and executives

This summary has been provided to allow managers and executivesa rapid appreciation of the content of this article. Those with aparticular interest in the topic covered may then read the article intoto to take advantage of the more comprehensive description of theresearch undertaken and its results to get the full benefits of the

material present.

Growing concern about climate change has attracted

increased attention from media and consumers alike. One

effect is greater consumer interest in products rating high in

energy efficiency. Evidence suggests that such individuals are

likely to seek out these products from companies which share

their apprehension about ecological issues. For their part,

businesses have recognized that a focus on the environment

and sustainability can help secure a competitive edge.However, different studies have confirmed that

environmental-consciousness is not necessarily reflected in

purchase behavior. A reason commonly cited for the apparent

consumer reluctance to buy green products is the higher price

typically attached to them. This unwillingness is further

reflected by the difficulties experienced by firms when

Predicting consumer intentions to purchase energy-efficient products

H.-Y. Ha and S. Janda

Journal of Consumer Marketing

Volume 29 Number 7 2012 461469

468

marketing products which exploit sources of renewable

energy.Certain theorists posit that attitude towards a certain

behavior impacts both on behavioral intention and on actual

behavior. This theory of reasoned action (TRA) is considered

potentially useful in predicting consumer behavior regarding

energy-saving products. At its core is the notion that attitude

towards a behavior impacts on intention to engage in the

behavior and that intention in turn determines actual

behavior.It is argued that behavior regarding energy saving could be

predicted using this outlook. Existing beliefs about the

positive impact of buying an energy efficient product might

persuade green consumers to select that option instead of an

alternative which appeals because of its lower price.These beliefs can increase when energy-saving products are

marketed as being innovative as well as energy-efficient, some

sources claim. Consumer familiarity with a product and,

particularly, their objective knowledge obtained through such

as factual information also influence attitude in this context.

One assumption of this is that people are more inclined to

hold favorable attitudes towards the use of energy-saving

products when they retain similarly positive beliefs about their

impact.Individuals who possess knowledge about a product are

confident in their judgment of its capabilities. Increased

confidence also tends to heighten the impact of attitude on

intention and behavior. Where energy-saving is concerned,

evidence indicates that consumers become likelier to engage

in certain behaviors when they are confident that the effect on

the environment will be positive.Another assumption of TRA is that correlation exists

between levels of environmental consciousness and the

propensity to engage in green behaviors. Concerned

individuals will feel morally compelled to act in such ways.

One assumption is that conducting activates in an

environmentally-responsible manner is a subjective norm

among these consumers. Some analysts point out that the

presence of eagerness and internal motivation further

heighten the propensity to engage in such behaviors,

especially when those involved perceive that doing so will

benefit the environment.Ha and Yanda explore these issues in a study of consumers

in the South Korean capital, Seoul. Subjects were approached

outside leading appliance and electronics stores and those

who had recently purchased energy-saving products were

selected. The final total of 202 usable responses consisted of

72 from males and 130 from females between 26 and 57

years-old. The number of women in the sample was higher

than represented in the general population but reflected the

tendency in South Korea for females to be likelier than men to

shop for the family. Survey questions measured knowledge,

belief, confidence, environmental awareness, subjective norm

and attitude towards energy-saving products.Analysis of the data revealed that:

1 consumer knowledge positively influences belief aboutenergy-saving products;

2 those with strong beliefs about engaging in activitiesinvolving energy-efficient products have a more positiveattitude towards such products;

3 attitude towards energy-saving products is positivelyinfluence by consumer confidence;

4 a positive relationship exists between attitudes towardsenergy-efficient products and behavioral intention;

5 environmental awareness is positively associated withsubjective norms;

6 behavioral intention is positively influenced by eagerness;and

7 subject norms positively impact on behavioral intentions.

Contrary to expectation, no statistically significantrelationship was found between subjective norm andeagerness towards participating in pro-environmentalbehaviors. Previous studies had indicated otherwise.Eagerness did show a strong positive effect on behavioralintention, though. The authors believe that consumerintention to use energy-efficient products could increasewhen they feel their actions will have a favorable impact onthe environment. As a means to influence intention, theysuggest that marketers should focus on providing generalinformation to remind consumers of the importance ofenvironmental protection and resource conservation.Results showed a considerable impact on behavioral

intention from both attitude and subjective norm. That theeffect of attitude was found to be considerably stronger is seenas especially significant. Firms are advised to note this andtake measures to ensure that consumers have a favorableattitude towards their energy-saving products. Since beliefsand knowledge influence attitude, Ha and Yanda point out theimportance of providing consumers with relevantinformation. A recommend strategy is to incorporate intoadvertisements details of the energy-saving effects of using thecompanys products and brands. Providing detailed factualinformation so that potential buyers can compare energyconsumption between energy-saving and regular appliancescan prove persuasive. Marketers could even include figures toemphasize the amount of monetary savings to furtherstrengthen their case. Certain studies have indicated theeffectiveness of informational appeals in this context. In othercases, consumer reluctance to embrace ecologically-friendlyproducts has been attributed to detailed information beingabsent.Further exploration of the relationship between subjective

norm and eagerness is urged. Researchers could also replicatethe study using industrial consumers since energy usage levelsare much higher in that environment. Examining the use ofenergy-saving products within other nations and cultures canalso help test the robustness of these findings.

(A precis of the article Predicting consumer intentions to purchaseenergy-efficient products.)

Predicting consumer intentions to purchase energy-efficient products

H.-Y. Ha and S. Janda

Journal of Consumer Marketing

Volume 29 Number 7 2012 461469

469

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