Collaborative consumption as C2C trading: Analyzing the effects of materialism and price consciousness

Our study aims to bring new critical knowledge on the two kinds of antecedents of collaborative consumption, namely materialism and price consciousness. We are especially interested in studying how materialism and price consciousness are related first, to consumers' attitudes towards collaborative consumption, and second, to their intentions to engage in such behavior. Furthermore, we approach collaborative consumption as a mode of exchange that includes transfer of ownership, i.e. C2C trading. Five hypotheses were developed to be tested using structural equation modelling (SEM). Our sample consists of 752 Finnish consumers. Overall, our hypotheses are globally supported apart from the unexpected relationship between materialism and consumers' intentions to engage in collaborative consumption. Based on our findings, it seems that although collaborative consumption is perceived as unfavorable behavior among materialistic consumers it is something that they are still ready to try in the future. Our study contributes the consumer research in general, and sharing economy and collaborative consumption literature in particular.