When do materialistic consumers join commercial sharing systems

Abstract

Commercial sharing systems (CSS) evolve to a relevant business concept that provides access to product benefits without ownership. A series of three studies delivers new knowledge on how to target consumers who still refrain from sharing to widen the market potential of CSS. Study 1 demonstrates that materialism's sub-dimension possessiveness is the dominant inhibitor of sharing. Study 2 then confirms that this negative impact of materialism diminishes with elevating levels of the desire for unique consumer products. Study 3 reveals that this interaction effect is further qualified by the ownership of a product if the product category has a strong product-need-fit. This research outlines implications of how marketers can design CSS so that they are also attractive to the critical target segment of materialistic consumers.